Blogger: Etta Wilson
Location: Books & Such Nashville Office
Weather: mid-40s again
I’m blown away by the statistics indicating how many romance novels are read! The Romance Writers of America website reports that 74.8 million Americans read at least one romance novel in 2008; while the core of the romance market, that is regular readers, is around 29 million.
The genre is multiplying even as it divides into sub-genres. At a recent presentation I heard three published romance authors talking about the particular kind of book they write. One writes what is called a “mashup” in which a contemporary romance is set within some historical writing; another writes romantic detective stories; and the third writes romantic paranormal stories.
I came away from the meeting thinking that, just as our population keeps growing, so do the number and kinds of romance books in print. And between print and electronic formats, we may become more quickly saturated with a genre–or at least think we are.
The thing I’m really curious about is the way the heroes or male protagonists are being presented and to what extent that may have changed in the last ten years or so. As women read these romantic novels, do they want to read about men who are princes, soldiers, spies, or vampires (as in Meyer’s Twilight)? Do they prefer the bad boy turned good or the brooding loner?
I also wonder what criteria editors use in selecting manuscripts and heroes for their readers. No doubt they consult sales figures of previous books in their lists, but as I recall from my days of being an inspirational romance editor, one’s personal taste can’t help but influence decisions. Maybe concern about the male image in romantic fiction is not that important. After all, it’s the writing quality that’s really important. The term used in romantic publishing circles these days is the HEA factor. That’s the acronym for “Happy Ever After,” and that’s what readers of romance want, regardless of their age or their experience with men. They want a book to make them happy.
HEA is it for me as a reader … and a writer. 🙂 So happy to be a part of the Romance genre! 🙂
(I call mine “non-tradtional romance” just because they don’t easily fall into the categories for romance.) I used to read a lot more CBA romances than I do now. I’ve migrated to thrillers/mysteries/suspense/some horror/romantic suspense because with some of the romance novels the writing has become too formulaic. And some either leave out real faith elements or the characters don’t exercise real faith and there’s no passion. C’mon. Lost or found characters: passion is necessary.
I can’t fall in love with a vampire, just can’t. Other than that, if he’s a well-rounded guy (even in the physical sense, as well as character-wise), then I’m ready to fall in love with him. Brits are also fabulous heroes, thanks to Jane Austen and the pervasive search for another Darcy or Knightley.
Nicole, you may represent a large part of today’s market. I think there is evidence of some change in reading taste as the market gets younger. What I’d like to see is a good correlation of the type of romance with the age of the reader. a few of us just want to read the same basic story again and again.
My “young” days are long gone, Etta. 😉 Maybe I just appreciate that simmering type of passion we all face if up against love. The world has no moral meter, so I contrast the secular vision of love, romance, sexuality to God’s view of the same. (without graphics but with sizzle when necessary)
I’ve also found it interesting to note all the sub-genres within romance now, though I still to some extent find romances a bit boring because you know the ending. No matter what happens in the story, it ends HEA. I like a satisfying ending, but maybe one that isn’t so predictable.
Recently,flipping through current titles at my local Chrictian book store, I was shocked at how many I discarded after reading the first paragraph. I write Christian Romance with a subplot of mystery and I’m always on the prowl to read works from authors who write similarly. I’m still looking….would love for someone to throw me a title or two for investigation. The problem for me is the “saids”. So many “he said, said Mary, they said”. I can’t take it anymore!!! Help Etta, send me a well written, fun, romantic, clean story title that will take me out of the Wisconsin snow, out of myself and into another world that does not have 3 million SAIDS in it!
(thank you and I apologize for my out burst.)
“Said” is today’s byword. If you say said, you’re sticking to the rules.
If I may be so bold here, I recommend James Scott Bell’s Try Dying, Try Darkness, Try Fear. Awesome books in spite of a few saids.
Also, less well known but very good for their time periods: Sara Mills’ Miss Fortune and Miss Match.
Looking at the above comments, it seems that we are moving toward changes in our tastes–whether it’s wanting less-predictable endings as Bonnie says above or dialog that’s not bogged down with speaker connotations as Nicole suggests. British authors and/or editors are less likely to use “he saids” and “she saids” than American (e.g., Alexander McCall Smith’s The Ladies No.1 Detective Agency), and the general market literary fiction less likely than Christian market fiction (e.g. Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead). But if there are more than two people in the scene it can be confusing to the reader.
Etta
For my part, Etta, I think said is “boring”. And I definitely understand the necessity for identifying who is speaking in a crowded scene.
I guess I just disagree with the trend that “said” is “invisible” and actually prefer different dialogue tags–which is sooo not the trend according to today’s rules.