Romance Includes You Mentorship With Harlequin – 2024 Recipient Announced

Here’s some exciting news from Harlequin about bringing more diversity to romance. Have you heard of their Romance Includes You Mentorship? It’s designed specifically to welcome authors from underrepresented communities into the world of romance publishing.

This year, 150 writers entered the contest, but it was writer Simone Sims who walked away with the 2024 mentorship win! And by doing so, she has scored a publishing contract and a mentorship opportunity. For Simone, this marks her first venture into traditional publishing with Harlequin, though she’s already been showcasing her talent via self-published short stories and novellas.

SO, WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

Here’s the best part: Harlequin’s editors aren’t just celebrating Simone—they’re keeping an eye out for other promising voices, too, hoping to find even more writers who can bring fresh perspectives to their lineup.

So, to all of you with a story to tell, keep an eye out for next year’s Romance Includes You Mentorship! It’s a chance to get guidance and maybe even a publishing contract with one of the biggest names in romance. This could be your time to break into traditional publishing and make your mark.

Big congrats to Simone. And to the rest of you—stay ready; keep writing!

WHO SHOULD APPLY FOR HARLEQUIN’S ROMANCE INCLUDES YOU?

Underrepresented writers who are unpublished or self-published writers who have not previously been published by a commercial publisher and who do not have a literary agent should apply. Visit the Harlequin’s website: writeforharlequin.com.

About Harlequin

Harlequin is a leading publisher of commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. The company publishes more than 100 titles a month, in both print and digital formats, that reach audiences globally. Encompassing highly recognizable imprints that span a broad number of genres, the publisher is home to many award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world. Through HarperCollins’s global publishing program, Harlequin titles are published in 17 countries and 16 languages. For more information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow Harlequin on Twitter: @HarlequinBooks.