Hello all and welcome to our first installment of "Lovelines". The phones are ringing off the hook with your questions, but let's start with the most obvious:
"Why do you think people enjoy romance? What is its appeal, and how can people write romance that readers are invested in?"
We have with us today a Professor of cunning Linguistics, Kitty Eaton. Ms. Eaton, what are your thoughts?
Thank you for having me!
Well, that's always a popular question, isn't it? Even if people don't necessarily realize they're asking it! People who don't read romance have some... ideas about romance novels and romance readers. Ideas they're more than happy to share as soon as you mention you're a fan of the genre:
"Oh, you write romance? *wink wink* I bet you enjoy researching those spicy scenes, huh?"
"Ew, romance? They're all gross bodice-rippers. Ugh. I don't understand why women like this stuff."
"Romance novels are totally formulaic. Why do you want to read the same thing over and over again?"
Thanks for your unsolicited opinion on my reading habits, random stranger!
It would take many (many many many) pages of text to truly answer the question of why romance readers enjoy romance. If you're truly interested in an excellent, in-depth, funny look at the genre and its history, I recommend Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan, or their review and discussion blog, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.
But I'll try and boil down the most important points.
Point the first: romance readers are one of the largest demographics of readers in the world. Full stop. According to the RWA (Romance Writers of America), the total sales value of romance in the US in 2013 was over one billion dollars. 13% of all adult fiction sold that year was romance, and I'd be willing to bet that a good portion of all adult fiction books purchased in 2013 contained at least mild romantic elements.
Those numbers represent a lot of buying power.
A lot of buying power for sure!
What is your theory, Professor, on why people are willing to spend so much money on romance stories? What is it about the genre or the tropes and emotions within that people are so compelled?
The reasons that people read romance are as varied as romance readers themselves. It's part of why romance is such a broad genre!
Historically speaking, women choosing their own romantic partners is fairly new. Marriages were originally business contracts, after all. In many ways, romance is a celebration of that choice--equal parts fantasy and a reflection of a reality not often explored by other forms of media. Stories centering women (and queer folks, as well), written by women, for women, on such a large scale, are pretty new. Romance novels are ostensibly the story of a relationship, yes, but they also serve as a vehicle to tell stories about women's lives and experiences that are shoved to the backburner in other genres.
But romance isn't just a genre for women! Look at... uh, any story. Like. Pretty much all of them. Even if romantic love isn't the focus of the story, it's probably involved somehow, right? Star Wars. Indiana Jones, Greek myths, Disney movies... Romance is popular because it's (almost) a universal human experience (shout-out to the aromantic folks; you guys are still valid!). People frequently disparage romance for being "wish-fulfillment", but (aside from the fact that there's nothing wrong with escapist media and we engage in it all the time, ALL FIRST-PERSON SHOOTERS) modern romance often tackles difficult topics like mental illness, dysfunctional families, abuse, racial prejudice, class warfare, disability, and gender orientation and sexuality along with sexy abs (or whatever floats your boat). Romance showcases relationships that are healthy and positive... and relationships that are neither. Ultimately, love stories, perfect or not, captivate us. And the best love stories are the ones that face a few hurdles along the way.
So, what makes a good romance? If you ask ten people, you'll probably get ten different answers. There's no single right way to write a romance. Just take a look at Harlequin's category lines. Romantic suspense, paranormal romance, erotica, contemporary, inspirational... There are dozens of romance subgenres with their own tropes and reader expectations. A sexy billionaire BDSM romance is going to have a totally different dynamic than a friends-to-lovers contemporary set in a small town veterinarian's office. That makes it pretty difficult to boil down the recipe for the perfect romance... but there are a few things that most, if not all, readers seem to enjoy:
*Competence. Yep. Nothing galls readers more than a heroine who refuses to try and save herself, or a hero that lacks even the most basic emotional intelligence. That's not to say that your characters should breeze through the plot, facing no challenges as they recite 15th century Scandinavian poetry while simultaneously curb-stomping villains left and right. Having characters who are good at what they do doesn't mean they have to be good at everything. In fact, they really shouldn't be--it's much more realistic to be a jack of all trades or a master of one. But your characters shouldn't be TSTL, or "too stupid to live". Splitting up in a haunted house? Leaving your lover behind in the night because you heard the tail end of a conversation that could've been taken the wrong way? It frustrates readers when characters do things because they aren't thinking (or because the plot demands it). That's true in all genres, not just romance.
*Chemistry. This is the engine of the romance, the thing that keeps readers coming back for more even when they should be sleeping or working or eating lunch. You've probably read at least one romance where the relationship seemed forced, boring, or just confusing. Maybe you wished one of the characters had ended up with someone else. This is usually the result of a lack of chemistry, and it can kill a romance faster than a rote rejection letter. For clarity's sake, when I talk about chemistry, I'm referring to the natural connection that arises between characters and draws them towards each other. Emphasis on natural--readers can tell when a connection between characters isn't organic and stems from the writer's desire to push characters together even when they don't fit. Have you ever written a scene between two characters where the dialogue seemed to write itself and you found yourself getting kind of emotional along with your main character? That's chemistry! It's not an exact science (badumtshhh), but chemistry tends to result from a few things: characters with contrasting but complementary personalities, characters with opposing goals or viewpoints, and characters that respect/admire each other (even if they don't want to).
Opposites may or may not attract in real life, but on the page, they can really sizzle--provided they're not *too* different. The warlord and the shy, timid maiden. The class clown and the class president. The NHL star and the cellist. The cop and the robber. They might seem like polar opposites at first, but as they get to know each other, they discover that they have more in common than they think. Maybe your class clown and your class president both have absentee parents. Maybe your NHL star likes Tchaikovsky and your cellist used to be a goalie back in high school. Those are very basic examples, but the point is that this dynamic often relies on the characters filling in each others' weak spots. Maybe your timid maiden won't speak up to her overbearing mother, but the warlord gives her the courage to stand up for herself. Maybe your workaholic cop learns how to let her hair down thanks to the fun-loving robber. And vice versa! Your warlord should learn from the maiden and the robber from the cop. But keep in mind that, just like in real life, some people really are too different to get along. If your maiden is a staunch pacifist and your warlord is a bloodthirsty tyrant... that relationship might not be quite as believable as the relationship between two characters who are more similar.
*Related to opposites attract is "characters with opposing goals/viewpoints". Let's go with the time-honored classic, "city boy vs. country boy". Your cowboy's ranch is failing, and some rich (but handsome) city-slicker is trying to buy it out from under him to turn into a condominium. Or your anarchist finds herself falling for the pretty but zealous judge who rescues kittens in her spare time. The conflict here arises, obviously, from the characters wanting two things that can't exist at the same time. These sorts of stories can be hard to write. If you have two truly passionate characters who refuse to budge on their respective stances (and your readers must believe that your characters are passionate for this conflict to work), you might find that the romance grinds to a halt. The conflict should seem almost impossible to resolve, but the resolution, once it arrives, should be one that respects the beliefs/choices of both characters. But if compromise were that easy, everyone would be doing it! So approach this plotline with caution.
*And, the last, but certainly not least, point: r-e-s-p-e-c-t. Your characters might disagree on everything down to whether or not their sandwiches should have mayonnaise, but on some level, that discourse is based on respect. Why? Well, why would your main character give a frog's fat ass about the opinion of someone they hate or simply find uninteresting? Your character is trying to sway their love interest to their side because somewhere deep inside, whether they want to admit it or not, they care what this person thinks about them. Or maybe your character isn't trying to sway the love interest at all--but even though this person is kind of an asshole, there's something about them that keeps drawing the character's eyes. Something about the love interest should be intriguing... and it shouldn't just be their killer smile. Why should your character invest time and energy in this person? The reader should be able to answer that question, even if the character can't. This last point is why many enemies-to-lovers plotlines fall flat: the readers can't tell why your character is wasting time on someone who seems to hate them.
Respect/admiration/intrigue is especially important in those plotlines. Your character is going to be putting up with a lot of crap from their enemy/rival, so there needs to be something there that convinces us that the struggle is worth it. This can be as simple as giving the enemy/rival something that the character needs. Is your character failing math? Will they lose their scholarship (the only thing allowing them to attend this school) if they do? Does their rival just so happen to be a math whiz? Does this rival also just so happen to suck at English, the one class your character excels in? Boom. There's your glue holding these people together. The glue has to stick just long enough for the enemies/rivals to being seeing a different side of each other, to reconsider the way they think about each other. Then you can tear them apart, if you want to.
There are dozens of other reasons to read romance, but having chemistry based on respect is a pretty good start to any relationship.
So many ways to express and enjoy the affection and company of others for sure! A little bit of something for everybody.
What are your thoughts on why adding a paranormal aspect to stories is so appealing? What is it about vampires, werewolves, and ghosts that works so well with a romantic storyline?
Paranormal romance is about heightened reality, much like science fiction and fantasy. It gives you an excuse to write about the darker side of romance--the sometimes ugly, possessive, aggressive, exciting side. Nothing ratchets up tension like going to bed with a partner who can literally suck the life out of you, eh? Plus, werewolf packs and vampire covens make for great sequel bait!
Don't want to write about a normal first date at the movies? Maybe the movie is An American Werewolf in London and you're watching it as an icebreaker between two rival packs.
Paranormal romance can be very intense. Connections may be instantaneous (as in fated mates), and love interests are usually quite passionate. Passionate enough to kill, even. Everything burns hotter, moves faster, and explodes more spectacularly in PNR. That can make for a heady reading experience, if that's what you're into.
But PNR isn't just about high-octane action and scorching scenes set between the sheets. It can also be a vehicle to explore mortality, family, and morality. PNR heroines and heroes often find themselves surrounded by creatures who could end them at a moment's notice. Or maybe they are such a creature. Either way, the leather-and-guns facade is usually a front for deeper discussions.
Paranormal romance, like any other romance, is enjoyable because it's freeing. It's a world where the writer makes all the rules. You get to transcend the mundane and enjoy a thrilling adventure alongside your sweet/sexy romance hijinks. What's more fun than that?
Thank you so much for appearing on our radio show! I hope, Listeners, you were able to learn something for the good Professor.
What do you enjoy about the romance genre, Listeners?
What are some of your favorite paranormal romance books or tropes?