This week: A Romance by any other name? Edited by: eyestar~* More Newsletters By This Editor
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Hello readers. I am happy to be a guest editor for this edition! Did you know there are so many subgenres of the Romance category? This letter will share a few types and perhaps it will help me, at least, go to a book store romance section and narrow down my scope!
Do you have a favourite kind of romance? Do you write a certain type of romance?
“For readers worldwide, the attraction of romance novels seems to be that they provide hope, strength, and the assurance that happy endings are possible. Romance makes the promise that no matter how bleak things sometimes look, in the end everything will turn out right and true love will triumph -- and in an uncertain world, that's very comforting.”
― Leigh Michaels, On Writing Romance: How to Craft a Novel That Sells |
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Romance novels have been popular for ages and have come a long way in that now there are even sub-genres in the Romance Genre. They all have rewarding endings as that is what Romance readers look for! I generally read what appeals to me and while I have favourite authors I did not necessarily catch on to all romance type categories! Wow! It might be a great help for romance writers to know some the finer divisions of the genre so one can find publishers who might prefer a certain type!
Here are a few of the types I discovered, though I believe the categories may be endless!
Historical Romances
I think my first and favourite reads in the genre were historical in nature, taking place in the past. The past is defined as before 1950 so the time line is long...Victorian, Medieval, Wild West, during the World Wars, in any country!
The Regency Romances are historical and yet have their own category as the setting and society of the Regency Period in England is so widely used. Generally they are shorter and contain more dialogue rather than action and sex. Think Jane Austen and Mary Jo Putney!
Contemporary Romances
These are generally set in 1950 to the present and are usually about the relationship between two main characters and end with a satisfactory outcome. They can be humorous, heart wrenching, sweet, dark, tragic with varying tones.
Under this sub genre are included many of the next categories.
Erotic Romance
A key feature of this type is that the sexual relationship is crucial to the plot line, growth and development of the characters in the story. The stories can be historical, contemporary and paranormal with different settings, if they have more explicit sexuality as part of the plot.
Romantic Suspense
This is a romance where mystery, suspense, thrills are a main part of the plot line. It may involve detectives, police work, and crime. Like thrillers, they may have fast heart pumping plots and a mystery that threatens the romance! A very popular style with authors like Catherine Coulter and Tami Hoag to name a couple.
Gothic Romance
This is an older genre. Now we may read more Romantic suspense but in its time it was popular and I still enjoy it!
It typically combines moody atmosphere and suspense with a brooding hero and a heroine is unsure of whether she can trust the hero. Popular authors are Phyllis Whitney and Mary Stewart and the more recent Kay Hooper and let's not forget Bronte's Wuthering Heights!
Paranormal Romance
A romance usually in the modern world with the added element of magic where relationships happen with supernatural beings like vampires,angels, demons and other familiar entities.
Fantasy Romance
Romances are set in a world different from ours where there is a magic system, and fantastic beings are part of the normal life. Vocabulary will reflect a different time as well. JD Robb (Nora Roberts} is one of my favourites.
Sci-Fi Romance
This is a type of fantasy as well with a futuristic setting or characters deal with future elements/technologies like space travel. There might be relationships with aliens or non human love interests.
Time Travel Romance
These stories could have historical, future or fantasy elements and involve travelling through time as in the well known Diana Gabaldon series Outlander. Jude Devereux and Constance O'Day Flannery also write in this subgenre.
Stories set in the last 4 types of romance focus on the love element and may not have as detailed "worldbuilding" elements as regular Sci-fi or Fantasy.
Steam Punk Romance
These are set between 1837-1901 in the Victorian era or the Wild West with steam powered machines. The romance can have mysteries, and adventures.
Inspirational Romance
These are romances where religious or spiritual beliefs play a vital part of the love story, character growth and development. The plot would not move forward without this element. Generally characters have strong beliefs or come to have them by the end. The sexual content is very light. These romances can incorporate any faiths, cultures, beliefs and mesh with any genre types. eg. Historical Christian Romance.
And so on! After checking these out I realize that I have read some of each of these types and not sure I could pick a favourite one. I don't typically choose from the Erotic, Sci fi, inspirational categories. Do you have some that you prefer to read or write?
eyestar
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Enjoy!
Contests with Romance Prompts.
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Here you could choose romance genre
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