Romance/Love
This week: Formats and Subgenres of Romance Edited by: Crys-not really here More Newsletters By This Editor
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Hello! My name is Crys-not really here and I am happy to be the editor of the Romance/Love Newsletter this week! For those of you who are just beginning to delve into romance writing, or who are having reservations about it, I'd like to offer you a primer on the two formats and multiple subgenres of romance novels. |
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Formats and Subgenres of Romance: A Primer
Romance novels are typically seen in two formats: category romance and single title romance.
Category Romance: these are the "lines" of romances you see published from places like Harlequin. They are typically short, follow the typical romance formula, and contain very few, if any, subplots in order to maximize the romance in a short format. Some common "lines" from Harlequin that you may have heard of are Harlequin American Romance, Harlequin Desire, and the more explicit Harlequin Blaze. I tend to think of category romances as those ones with the Fabio look-alikes on the front that my grandma collected from used book and yard sales.
Single-Title Romance: Single-title romances are usually longer than those published in a "line." Authors who write single-title romances sometimes write a series based on the same characters, but that does not make them category romances because they are not a part of a "line."
Now, for the real fun!
Subgenres
You name the genre, and you can probably pair it with romance. Some popular subgenres include romantic suspense (containing some aspect of mystery), paranormal romance, fantasy romance, and Christian romance.
Erotic Romance as a Subgenre
Erotic romance is becoming an increasingly more popular and well-respected subgenre of the romance novel. Even Harlequin has recognized erotic romance as a valid subgenre with the creation of its Blaze line. Traditionally, sex scenes in romance novels use euphemisms and less explicit descriptions. However, erotic romance combines more explicit love scenes with a well-developed plot and characters one might expect in any mainstream novel.
If you're interested in writing a romance novel, it's well worth it to study up on what exactly makes a novel a romance novel. It seems as if romance novels are moving away from the formulaic and toward a more diverse array of subgenres. Whether you like to write paranormal, science fiction, historical or suspense novels, there just might be a romance novel in you.
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Thank you to everyone who wrote in about my last Romance newsletter, "We Accept the Love We Think We Deserve."
Crys, your editorial on "We Accept The Love We Think We Deserve" was right on! An additional thought: while they're doing that inventory, they can look into doing a similar "inventory" on couples they know from real life. Do they find any that would be a good basis for one or more of their characters? And, they may even find an exception to that rule. I did. My high school sweetheart, Linda, was an epileptic. The way other students made fun of her all the way through school put her self esteem in the cellar. But I knew she deserved better. And as soon as I was able to convince her whether she felt she deserved it or not, it opened up a whole new outside world for her. We maried at 19, and I lost her when she was 30. Too short a time together. But I wouldn't trade those wonderful years together for anything. That real life inventory could pay off in ways they never thought about. Wonderful newsletter; keep up the great work! -Incurable Romantic
I enjoyed the newsletter. I am divorced and date some. I am a bit out of date in this complicated, computerized world but continue on. lol For me to fall in love, the highest criteria is respect. If a woman doesn't respect who I am and what I do for living, examples, then I cannot be attracted to her. After respect, then trust. I want someone who trusts me and who I trust also. If those two criteria are met, I'll move on to how good she looks, how compatible we are, how much we 'want' each other, etc. Respect and trust are just so important. Interesting newsletter. - johnny1209
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