Get Published Quick! Write a Romance! (or…hahahahahahaha!)
We had an interesting discussion in my crit group yesterday about loving your genre. Because if you don’t, your reader will notice. If you’re cynical about romance, or find the genre to be beneath you, the reader will notice.
Now, I think the majority of romance writers really love the genre, but I do think there are some who are sort of ‘winking’ at the reader. Or sneering, as the case may be. They have an attitude about it being a stepping stone on their way to the bigger and better. Well, I have news for you. Romance is about the biggest thing there is. As it’s been pointed out, just about every genre has romance as a part of it.
What really burns my biscuits is when people act like they’re going to get published quick by writing one of those romance novels. Like it’s the pyramid scheme of fiction, or something.
But thinking that way does a big disservice to the writers of romance and the readers. And those of us who have been trying to get published for any length of time know it’s not just a matter of ‘boy meets girl, boy gets girl, writer sends to publisher, writer gets the contract.’
Like any other writer, we practice the craft. We learn about it. We refine it. We take it seriously. Not too seriously, which is something I love about the romance community. We know we’re writing entertainment, but it’s entertainment we love.
As I’ve said before, I love romance. I love to read it. I love to write it. And writing it is not a quick, simple way to get your name on a book cover. No matter your genre, I don’t think there is a quick, simple way to do that that doesn’t cost you a decent amount out of pocket.
Amen my fellow writers?
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Double amen, Maisey!
That "but why aren't you writing real books" and the belief that romances can somehow be "churned out because they are all the same" is infuriating.
Romance writers know how hard we work to improve our craft and what a challenge it is to write believable deep emotion.
Romance readers know that all books are NOT the same and form a highly discerning and intelligent community of book buyers.
Moreover, it's a very personal thing for the readers AND writers, since it's very personal, universal subject matter. You read things you never talk about, even with your closest friends, and think 'yeah, it IS like that!'. I think that's one reason it feels personal when people are disdainful of romance.
You mean I can't just write one in an afternoon? What about that special computer program that would write it for you? No? Damn! Well, there's goes my idea of being a millionaire by writing a romance novel… 😉
I know, I know. You were going to sit down for an afternoon, write a book and chug vodka while a shirtless man served you canapes. And then your book was going to get made into a made for TV movie and you were going to pose on the insert wearing a mink fur coat and sitting on the hood of a ferrari. Sigh. Reality bites.
Amen!