E-Newsletter | Issue: 2026-03-01 – Contemporary Romance Writers

President’s Letter

From the writing desk of Monica Jorgensen

Hello!

March arrives with that in-between energy. It’s not quite winter, and not fully spring. Honestly, isn’t that where some of the best love stories begin? March is a perfect time to revisit our works-in-progress, breathe new life into slow-burn arcs, and let our characters step bravely into change. Whether you’re drafting meet-cutes, deepening emotional wounds, or polishing that heart-clenching third act, this is your season to lean into renewal, both on the page and in your creative life.

We have a bunch of things in store for all of you. Most exciting, CRW is going to the LA Festival of Books. See info below on this great opportunity. This month we have our second article from our Publishing Partner, Editor Tony Le Calvez. Tony will be contributing to the newsletter, hosting a webinar and participating in two live chats on Facebook. Keep an eye out for dates and times. We also will be highlighting members books (Member Spotlight Series) that fall within a theme all year long. See below for more info on this! We are very excited about all our new adventures.

In February, we introduced the President’s Pick. Each month, I invite you to read with me and then participate in a book chat. We started with a great book on building a series. This month we will be reading Blurbs That Sell: Contemporary Romance Edition by Janice Lam. It’s free on Kindle unlimited. On March 28th at 10am Central Time (8am Pacific Time, 9am Mountain Time, 11am Eastern Time), join the zoom and let’s chat about the book and everything blurb related. 😀

May your coffee be strong, your tension delicious, and your happily-ever-afters deeply satisfying. Let’s make this a month of sparks, on and off the page. 💕 You’ve got this.

Sending HEAs vibes!

Monica

CRW is going to the LA Festival of Books!!!!

Contemporary Romance Writers will be participating in the Los Angeles Festival of Books on April 18–19, 2026 and we would love for you to be part of it.

This is a fantastic chance to:
• Sign and sell your books in person
• Have your books sold on your behalf
• Grow your newsletter list
• Gain new readers
• Increase your visibility and connect with the romance community

If you would like to attend in person, you are welcome to join us at the festival and sell your books directly. If you’re unable to attend, you can ship your books to me, and I will display and sell them for you at our booth.

Best of all, there is no cost to members to participate.

The Los Angeles Festival of Books is one of the largest literary events in the country. It attracts approximately 150,000 to 160,000 attendees annually and is an incredible opportunity to get your work in front of readers.

If you’re interested in participating, please reply to this email and let me know whether you plan to attend in person or ship books. I’ll follow up with additional details.

We’re so excited to showcase the amazing talent within Contemporary Romance Writers!

Publishing Partner

Tony Le Calvez – Editor

Shooting in the Dark: How to Design an Outline

When I’m workshopping the preliminary chapters of a manuscript, one of the first questions I ask is: how does it end? While it might seem counter intuitive for a reader, as an editor I always flip to the last chapter in order to keep track of the story’s events and actions, and if they reasonably lead to the conclusion.

As a reader, there’s nothing more frustrating than characters performing actions that don’t make sense, or events not being chained together. Could you imagine if, at the end of Jane Eyre, Jane jumped into her wardrobe and disappeared in Narnia, never worrying about Mr. Rochester again? And don’t even get me started on the end of Game of Thrones.

When a character performs an action, it must lead to a reasonable reaction, which leads to another, until we get to the end of the story. Writing a manuscript without knowing the ending is like trying to shoot a target with a blindfold on. Using an outline can help you see the target, and how to get there.

Designing an outline before you begin your manuscript is like creating a roadmap that you can reference as you write your manuscript. It acts as a tether that allows you the freedom to get lost in your ideas and develop scenes, but reel yourself in and stay on track with the story’s ultimate goal.

There are many ways to design an outline. I like to use bullet points: I mark where my story begins and who my characters are. Then I mark chronologically every episode that I would like to take place across the story, ending with the conclusion. Sometimes I will revise the outline and add or subtract sections if I think the story is too long or too short. I don’t write many details, but at least I know where my characters are going at all times.

I know other writers who like to use a timeline. In a notebook or on the computer, they draw a line and plot the major events of the story on it. Sometimes the line moves up and down to reflect the rising action, climax, and falling action. There is no prescriptive way to create an outline, as long as it functions in a way that helps you keep track of the story without you having to keep it memorized while you’re trying to write your manuscript.

A few added benefits of an outline is that it helps you get a top-down look at your story to see if its structural components are working. Before you even start writing, you can check if the sequence of events makes sense, if scenes are flowing organically and dramatically together, if the moments of action and reflection are evenly paced, and if your story arc is working. When you’re in the thick of your manuscript, it gives you an idea of how much story you have left and if you’re spending too long, or not enough, on particular scenes. It also gives you insurance to step away from your manuscript for a break and not lose track of what you were doing or where you were going in your story.

Readers are trusting you to bring them to a satisfying conclusion, which is not an easy task. You can assure yourself that the ending will be satisfying if you make sure to come up with it before you write your story. A well organized outline translates into a well organized manuscript.

Tony Le Calvez is a San Diego-based writer and editor. He holds a Master of Arts in Writing from Point Loma Nazarene University, where he graduated with honors. He currently writes as a music journalist for *The Needle Drop* and serves as theater correspondent for *The Coronado News*. His essays on music and culture have also appeared in *Paste* *Magazine* and *The San Diego Union-Tribune*. His first book, *Sounds of the Skatepark: A study of music trends in the San Diego skate scene (2024-2025)*, is scheduled for publication in 2026 by Alien Buddha Press.

Member Spotlight Series

Hooray!!! We’re launching a new monthly member spotlight series.

Each month, CRW will feature select member books on our Instagram based on a rotating theme.

April: Small Town. Big Love.

May: Slow Burn

April: If you have a contemporary romance that is set in a small town we’d love to feature your book. Please fill out this form.

May: It’s Slow Burn, baby. To submit fill out this form.

Questions, please contact Melissa at workshops@contemporaryromance.org.

Please note: Selection is not guaranteed. Books will be curated based on fit and volume.

2026 Board Members

President: Monica Jorgensen

Treasurer: Emily Rex

Secretary: Michelle Lumpkin

V.P. of Communications: Dayna M. Reidenouer

V.P. of Workshops: Melissa Naatz

Upcoming Bylaw Vote
On April 1, members will receive a formal email with proposed amendments to the CRW Bylaws and instructions for voting. Voting will remain open through May 1. Please watch your inbox and be sure your email address is current so you don’t miss the opportunity to participate.

A Novel Celebration

A Novel Celebration is something we do to celebrate your wins over the past year. If you’ve complete a manuscript from December 1, 2025 to November 30, 2026, you can enter! What’s the prize, you ask? Five winners will be selected to get their 2027 membership free! You can find out the rules and how to enter below.

Novel Celebration Information

Novel Celebration Entry