my prediction
In a couple-three-four years, a new sub-genre of romance will rise to the top, beating the sales of even the menage and the hot m/m sexx. If I knew what it was, I'd be there, writing it like crazy**. Me and Florence Stonebraker, we go for bulk, Sam.
So that prediction? My crystal ball shows nothing but murk. I only wish I knew. Format? Content? Graphic novels? Who knows? Someone will guess right and she's going to be rich.
Here's what I do know. Whatever that wildly successful sub-genre is, it'll face sneering hordes of romance writers who say it's just not:
1. Romantic enough
2. Heartfelt enough
3. Interesting/heart-thumping/real enough to gain real romance readers, just the fringes.
4. Written in a style that requires true talent/artistry.
Letters to RWR (RWA's magazine) and long angry blog posts will be written on why it's not a real form of romance or even--if we're really lucky--why it's depraved and should be banned in Texas. Passionate, snarky, and probably funny answering letters and blog entries will take up a lot of space. It will be a topic for more than a week and less than two years (on and off).
You heard it here first. Well, not really, since it's something I and others have been yapping about the subject all around the interwebs.
See? Got it yet? It's not about the love; it's about the $$.
_______
**except it turns out that I'm no Sunny and I can't write every sub-genre after all. Damn.
So that prediction? My crystal ball shows nothing but murk. I only wish I knew. Format? Content? Graphic novels? Who knows? Someone will guess right and she's going to be rich.
Here's what I do know. Whatever that wildly successful sub-genre is, it'll face sneering hordes of romance writers who say it's just not:
1. Romantic enough
2. Heartfelt enough
3. Interesting/heart-thumping/real enough to gain real romance readers, just the fringes.
4. Written in a style that requires true talent/artistry.
Letters to RWR (RWA's magazine) and long angry blog posts will be written on why it's not a real form of romance or even--if we're really lucky--why it's depraved and should be banned in Texas. Passionate, snarky, and probably funny answering letters and blog entries will take up a lot of space. It will be a topic for more than a week and less than two years (on and off).
You heard it here first. Well, not really, since it's something I and others have been yapping about the subject all around the interwebs.
See? Got it yet? It's not about the love; it's about the $$.
_______
**except it turns out that I'm no Sunny and I can't write every sub-genre after all. Damn.
Watch what women are concerned about, and what directly affects their self-esteem and personal freedom. AIDs squelched the progress we were making toward cultural/gender sexual equality; erotica enjoys an upsurge. American women make a mass move from being stay at home moms to working moms and hold off child bearing to their thirties and forties; chicklit goes through the roof. The Baby Boomer crowd are getting old and wrinkly (I know, I'm one of them); vampire fiction and it's standard elements of immortality and agelessness suddenly skyrockets.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a sub genre about botox and weightloss programs?
ReplyDeleteSounds like Nip-Tuck to me, lol.
Oh - and the recession hits and the price of oil goes through the roof and stories about glitzy millionaire oil tycoons are suddenly the rage...
ReplyDelete*ducking and running...*
My money's on graphic novels. They are hot hot hot in all genres (fantasy, action, YA, kids' , etc. etc.).
ReplyDeletePlus in romance/erotica/whatever, there's a lot of room for potential (re. the other kind of hot) in graphic novels. [Have you read the "Lost Girls" trilogy? The authors themselves call it porn, and it is, but/and there's a lot more going on also. Parts of it are disturbing, especially near the end, but I thought it was totally amazing.]
Anyway: graphic novels.
Maybe a sub genre about botox and weightloss programs?
ReplyDeleteSounds like Nip-Tuck to me, lol.
See, Sam gets it. :)