First of all, great article, thanks for sharing. Second…
Re Romance: I haven’t even began to address my underdeveloped ability to write romantically. If writing specific applies to this, then does that mean you need experience in romance itself to be able to write it successfully? Perhaps a vivid imagination could help, but without carnal knowledge, can a writer really get very far writing romance?
You can. Honestly, don’t focus on the romance part. Focus on writing an interesting person, and a good friendship. If you get that, then the step to romance is something that happens in the reader’s head as much as yours. You don’t need to know anything, you need to make a character that the reader can take and then build their own fantasies about. Don’t overthink it. A lot of people do, and that’s when you end up with people being described in detail as unreasonably hot while me the reader don’t think that what is being described is hot.
Think friendship. Think intimacy, Think trust. Not romance.
EDIT: Also, right now I miss writing horror SO badly…