Comments on: Writing the Romance Novel: Divisions and Subgenres

By: Amy Jane (Untangling Tales)

Amy Jane (Untangling Tales) — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:26:52 +0000

Well, I’m not a regular romance-reader (you probably already knew) but like you I enjoy the marriage-of-convenience corner of books.

I think, at least in part, because the couple in question has already taken marriage at immutable and moves to find peace within that important assumption.

My one major issue with romance (in theory, as I haven’t read broadly) is the lover-as-savior and source-of-all-happiness.

On one level those things don’t bother me, but the implication of them is that if those roles aren’t fulfilled the potential partner is the wrong person. I get nervous that “falling out” might be too easy if “falling in” was too perfect.

I just feel more secure in a (literary) relationship when I can see during the course of the story that they are committed to staying together.

Really, I’ve only ever felt nervous reading the modern stuff. I’m sure the authors didn’t intend to leave any implication they were less than blood-committed, but my cynical/analytical mind tends to nit-pick, or fear the worst.

By: Jess

Jess — Wed, 21 May 2008 04:28:37 +0000

I love how in Love Comes Softly, you could tell being saved changed her because she quit saying “dad-blame.” There’s some spiritual growth for ya. (But, no, really, I loved that book.)
I’m for marriage-of-convenience romances. All the way. I know it’s not a contest, but we consistently write those better than our secular sisters. And, well, it’s an awesome concept.
Good job not including IR as a subgenre.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:03:17 +0000

I love a good medieval too!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:02:38 +0000

I don’t really care for Regencies as a whole, though I will read ones that are highly recommended by people whose opinion I trust. I’m the lone Jane Austen hater in every group I belong to, lol. I know so much about the lifestyle and what the mindset was like, and also every day life, that I am incapable of enjoying most contemporary Regencies because they have crucial elements all wrong.

My favorite sub-genre would have to be historical romance, followed by romantic suspense and gothic romances. I adore gothic romances!! I just wish there were more of them. I’m going to have to track me down some Victoria Holt books. Any recommendations?

I’ve never read a time-travel all the way through, but that’s only because I haven’t found one that satisfies my requirements for historical accuracy. They’re pretty strict, lol.

I write mainly historical fiction, so it’s very easy for me to go back and forth from that to historical romance. I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that most of my contemporary qualifies as women’s fiction.

By: Shellie Powell

Shellie Powell — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:34:00 +0000

As someone new to the writing world I appreciate this article. So do you have a list of sub-genres for suspense and what about womens fiction?

By: Georgiana Daniels

Georgiana Daniels — Tue, 20 May 2008 04:29:50 +0000

I love the whole mood of gothic, but I’d have to say romantic suspense comes out on top. Historicals are catching up quickly too. A paranormal or time travel has to be excellently written for me to suspend my disbelief enough to get into the story.

By: Kaye Dacus

Kaye Dacus — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:39:19 +0000

I purposely did not include inspirational as a subgenre, because I believe it is a “mother” genre–as it can include all of the subgenres listed here.

I love Medievals and Marriage of Convenience romances. Since delving into Jane Austen’s work for academic purposes as well as studying the era for my own Napoleonic-war-set historical romance trilogy, I have a really hard time reading Regencies, as I usually find some of the research is off or, as I mentioned, the heroine isn’t appropriate for the time period.

Oh, and Erica . . . I’m liking time-travel romance more and more every day!

By: Eileen Astels

Eileen Astels — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:01:33 +0000

My number one pick is most definitely Inspirational Romances, but I’ve read suspense, historical and gothic romances and have enjoyed them as well. As for as fantasy and sci-fi, paranormal, etc. they definitely don’t resonate with me for whatever reason. Not to say they aren’t written well, I just can’t seem to relate to them.

By: PatriciaW

PatriciaW — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:30:24 +0000

With the exception of erotica, I think I’ve read every subgenre at one point or another.

My favorite is inspirational and my favorite favorite is multicultural. (No surprise there, huh?)

I enjoy contemporaries more than historicals but I was struck by how much is missing, like historicals set in the early 1900′s (I think Deeanne Gist writes these). I’d love to read post-WWII romances, going up to about early 1980s.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:49:29 +0000

Gothic Romance! Those were the first ones I read (Phyllis A Whitney and Victoria Holt) I found then on my mom’s shelf one day and started reading them. I love any time of Historical Romance too though