  Romance/Love
This week: Writing to a Category Imprint Edited by: esprit  
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Welcome to the Romance/Love Newsletter! I'm pleased to be your guest host again this week!
"To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved." -- James MacDonald. |
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Writing to a Category Imprint
Category Romance is "categorized" by a specific brand name, such as Harlequin. Writing category romance is a good way for new authors to get their foot in the door of publishing because of the sheer volume of new books published. As long as the formula for your chosen genre is followed exactly, and the writing is good, new authors are encouraged with more enthusiam than mainstream publishers exhibit.
I thought a basic formula definition of each category would be useful for both writers and their reviewers, and I've linked the best one I could find below. Be aware this is basic, not complete. Knowing the guidelines is critical and worth your time to learn. Listing your story with the correct subgenre will help reviewers focus on the same formula you used.
 Don't Expect to Make Money.
The Percentage of Romance Novels That Are Bought New is Very Low.
54% buy 20% or fewer books new
32% don't buy any new books
15% always buy new books
Know your audience.
I've noted only the high number.
64.6 million Americans read at least one romance novel in the past year.
78% of romance readers are female
50% of romance readers are married
22% are between the ages of 35-44
42% have a bachelor's degree or higher
54% have read between 1 and 5 books in the Past Year
Know Your Subgenre
Romance readers ranked the following setting or plot elements for romance novels in order of most enjoyable:
1) Mystery, Thriller, Action plots preferred by 48% of readers
2) Exotic Settings preferred by 36% of readers
3) Contemporary themes preferred by 33% of readers
4) Inspirational romances with a spiritual sub-plot preferred by 31% of readers
5) Colonial American settings preferred by 27% of readers
6) American West settings preferred by 25 % of readers
7) Historical romance set in England preferred by 24% of readers
8) Scottish-set historical romances preferred by 21% of readers
9) Medieval set romances preferred by 21% of readers
10) Paranormal romances preferred by 18% of readers
11) Futuristic romance preferred by 14% of readers
Know Your Subgenre Imprint Publisher
Choose your subgenre and market. The romance genre, like most of the book market today, is geared toward those who write with an eye toward the publisher rather than writing a work and then trying to find a publisher for it.
Each publisher's imprint brand has different elements that are required of their books. The requirements may include specific story arcs, specific types of characters (cowboys, wealthy men, virgins, etc.), and the general tone they wish to be present throughout the novel, to name some examples. Many imprints require an overall tone of sensuality to pervade the prose. Some, such as the supernatural or romantic suspense subgenres, require a darker tone. Each imprint also has its own specific word count requirements.
The category link below is one of the best definitions I've seen, and I urge you to copy the page and not deviate from the requirements if you hope to sell your work to a category publisher.
 Reviewers of Romance/Love should also study the categories to be of the most help.
Exposure to other works. Once you have chosen the specific market you are targeting, it helps to read some novels that are similar. Reading several of these will give you an idea about how they are structured, as well as what concepts may be overdone and clichéd.
Writing for the publisher may seem like 'selling out' or worse, to some writers, but to others, it could be a welcome open door. I'd be interested in knowing how you feel about it.
Romance Writers of America, Inc.
romance_literature_statistics
http://hodrw.com/categorysingletitle.htm
Thanks for reading,
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Comments on "Romance/Love Newsletter (May 6, 2009)"
Submitted By: Ieshwar
Submitted Comment: That's true and kind of unfortunate too. I myself (a guy) read romance stories and I do tell everyone. I like reading a good romance novel once in a while and I like writing about love (I don't do romance though). But sometimes, the repeating structure is a put off. Few authors can pull it off well.
I agree the repeating structure was a put off for me too. Some of the more prolific authors seemed to change only the names, settings and switched the car for a horse, leaving the story intact. That's changing though.
Submitted By: Helen McNicol
Submitted Comment: I think what we have to understand is that genres for books are generally very broad. Romance in itself covers so many aspects that one cannot judge a book by it's genre (and you thought it was don't judge a book by it's cover!) The new popular genre now is 'mainstream' which again is broad, but people, like me, who write so much more than just romance, now have another avenue.
1. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy and girl reunite and live happily ever after.
2. An Emotionally-Satisfying and Optimistic Ending
Yes, (at least by some publishers) romance writers are limited only by their imagination except for the two points above. Writers of love stories have much more leeway.
Submitted By: fleckgirl
Submitted Comment: Another good topic Esprit & quite enlightening if you think about it. Men SHOULD read love stories because they COULD learn a lot!
BRAVO!!! I doubt that will make a lot of them pick-up the love stories out there (simply because, it does create that element of embarassment) but they would be better men for it (in the eyes of most women anyway... IMO).
Thanks again for a job well done & for the feature in your NL!
Fleck
Thanks and you're welcome! I wonder if 'Read Me a Bedtime Story' would work? 
Submitted By: Voxxylady 
Submitted Comment: Esprit, another wonderful newsletter. Romance books are not all "bodice rippers" and you have to wonder why people look down on romance when even the most gory horrors include some kind of romance in the story line, almost always! The world is built on romance. Why do we look down on that?
Oh, and thanks so much for highlighting two of my items!
You're welcome, and thank you! The stigma of writing romance is lessening according to the stats. The first publishers had such strict guidelines they left little room for variety, all the books read the same. Limiting the sort of conflict allowed limited the creativity of the writers, and bad writing was almost the norm. There were no surprises for the readers, they knew from the first meeting of the characters that they would be wed. All of these things left the genre with a damaged reputation to overcome. Today, the 'emotionally satisfying ending' doesn't always mean a wedding so there is room for conflict surprises.
Submitted By: Poplar
Submitted Comment: I know alot of guys who recently got right into the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer alongside us girls, so yes, I think its safe to say males do read romance.
Ah yes, Twilight brought them out in the open, didn't it? Was it an anomaly though? The strong Hero, the unusual absence of drinking or smoking, and Bella and Edward doing little more than holding hands, show that an original story, told well, sells well. It doesn't need to depend on extracurricular activities to hold a readers attention. Perhaps we admire morality more than we admit? 
You guys send the best feedback, thanks!
Editors:
fyn 
darkin
Your guest host this week is esprit
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Romance/Love: May 13, 2009 Issue [#3054]
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