Write the British romance you have been dreaming about.
Discover the people, places and relationship
patterns that turn the story in your
head into a love story readers won't forget
Turn Your Romance Idea Into A Story
You know that romance story you can't stop thinking about?
You know the one I mean.
The one you already have the character, or the place or that one scene that keeps playing over and over in your mind.
The Story Compass will take those ideas out of your imagination and help you explore your ideas though the three ingredients every unforgettable romance needs.
The Who: the characters the readers fall in love with.
The Where: The world that shapes their relationship.
The How: The journey that brings them together.
Answer 12 simple questions and discover the Great British Romance that is waiting to be written.
'Unforgettable romances
don't just happen somewhere.
They belong somewhere.
Why Calon?
Great British Romance deserves its own place on the bookshelf.
Romance readers everywhere know the magic of a favourite trope.
Enemies to lovers. Second chance. Fake Dating.
But the most unforgettable romances are never built from tropes alone.
When Britain becomes part of the story, familiar tropes become something entirely new.
A fake dating romance changes when pretending to be in love means convincing an entire village that has known them both since childhood.
Or, an enemies to lovers changes when they are forced to trust each other with their lives on the Welsh mountain rescue team.
The tropes might be familiar but the love story could only happen here.
That's Great British Romance.
Stories shaped by British places, professions, communities, and ways of life.
Stories that need The Where, as much as The Who and The How.
I'm Val, a romance book coach and developmental editor. I created Calon Books because I believe writers deserve more than generic romance advice. They deserve to understand why British romance feels different and to discover, understand and help create Great British Romance.
So, whether you are searching for your next British love story, interested in studying the books you already love, or writing a British romance of your own...
welcome home.
Val xx
BA (Hons) English Literature and Creative Writing.
Qualified Developmental Editor.
Completely obsessed with romance.
Helping writers create Great British Romance through The Who, The Where and The How.
Let's keep the conversation going.
Join me for thoughtful conversations about Great British Romance, the books we love and the stories you're writing.
Got a Story Idea?
The Story Compass
Every Great British Romance begins with one small idea.
A character you can't stop thinking about.
A place you keep returning to.
A moment between two people you need to understand.
The Story Compass helps you explore those ideas through The Who, The Where and The How, so you can uncover the foundations of your story.
Answer 12 simple questions and take the first step in creating your Great British Romance.
Perfect for you if you have a romance idea but don’t know where to start.
It's Free
Learn How Great British Romance's Work
The Reading Room
Curious about what makes readers fall in love with a Great British Romance?
Inside The Reading Room we don't just talk about the books and tropes we love, we look beneath them.
Through Reading Maps, Calon Conversations and Writing Challenges, we explore how unforgettable romances are built through The Who, The Where and The How lens
Once you learn how authors bring magic to their love stories, you will be able to bring magic to yours.
Perfect for you if you love romance books and want to understand why they work.
It's free...
Need Some Help Developing Your Story Idea?
The Great British romance handbook
You have the beginnings of a love story, now learn how to build it into one readers won't forget.
Explore The Who, The Where and The How behind Great British Romance and learn how your characters, world and relationship journey work together to create a love story that could only happen here.
Perfect for you if you want to build the foundations of your British romance before you start writing.
That's my way of saying it's coming soon.
Too close to your story? Bring it to
The Editor's Desk
Bring your romance to The Editor's Desk for thoughtful, personalised feedback designed specifically for love stories.
Together, we'll look beyond the plot and explore the characters, the world and emotional journey at the heart of your romance.
Start writing your story with confidence, knowing the heart is already in place.
Perfect for you if you need expert feedback on your romance idea, outline or manuscript.
Have a browse...
The Bookshelf
Every romance leaves us with a question.
On The Bookshelf, we explore the ideas behind Great British Romance, from the characters we remember, the places we wish we could visit and the love stories that stay with us long after the final page.
Pull a 'book' from the shelf and discover what it has to teach us about love, storytelling and writing unforgettable romance.
Perfect for you if you want thoughtful articles about British romance, storytelling and the books we love.
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