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Nora Roberts' Secret to Success: 'Ass in the Chair'

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 16, 2009 3:02 PM CDT

(Newser) – Nora Roberts is the most popular romance writer in America, but it’s not easy being on the top. “People go, ‘Oh, you work six or eight hours a day, oh my God,’” she tells the New Yorker. “‘Well, yeah, how many hours do you work?’ ‘Well, yeah, but …’ But nothing.” Roberts churns out five books a year, sold more than 18 million copies in 2008 alone, and brings in about $60 million a year.

Roberts has just one rule for writing: “Ass in the chair.” She doesn’t apologize for her genre, or care much for the more literary side of publishing. “They’re just not as productive, and their writing is probably not any better than mine.” And she’s pretty clear on what her readers want: “Sex is important in the books because, without it, it would be like eating a rice cake instead of a cupcake.”

A woman reads a Nora Roberts book.
A woman reads a Nora Roberts book.   (AP Photo)
Author Nora Roberts.
Author Nora Roberts.   (AP Photo)
Author Nora Roberts.
Author Nora Roberts.   (AP Photo)
Romance novelist Nora Roberts.
Romance novelist Nora Roberts.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
mak
Jun 17, 2009 12:47 PM CDT
who cares if she churns them out or not? she's making $60 million a year, for the love of God.
kokuaguy
Jun 16, 2009 10:12 AM CDT
I googled "churns out" and got the following definition from "The Free Online Dictionary": To produce in an abundant and automatic manner.
drlarrymitchell
Jun 16, 2009 8:38 AM CDT
Thumbs-up, thumbs-down. Newser ought to allow readers to vote on the articles themselves. This one would be a thumbs down- although, as a writer, I do like Nora's philosophy- "Ass In The Chair."

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