The Subgenres of Romance

Many people associate romance novels as broadly being categorized in the romance genre. Did you know that the romance genre is broken down into subgenres? There are 10 main subgenres. However, depending upon a bookstore's or library's shelving system, these subgenres may vary or become interchangeable. 

The 10 main romance subgenres are:

1. Contemporary romance
2. Historical romance
3. Romantic suspense
4. Paranormal romance
5. Science Fiction romance
6. Fantasy romance
7. Time-travel romances
8. Inspirational romance
9. Multicultural romance
10. Erotic romance

The above hyper-linked text  will take you to a Wikipedia page describing each of the subgenres.

Why Do So Many Women Read Erotica?

For those of you who haven't been exposed to it, Erotic literature consists of fictional or factual stories that deal with sexual relationships. It allows the reader to become sexually aroused and explore sexual fantasies through words written on the page. 50 Shades of Grey by E. L. James would be a popular example of an Erotic novel.

The eroticism within this genre has become the stereotypical view of romance novels, but also the most popular for women to read. You can probably guess why this genre is so alluring to women-because it is pretty much like reading porn. 

However, that is not the only reason women read these novels. Just like any other novel, Erotic novels are a type of escape. Women are able to place themselves within the story and connect with it not only on a sexual level, but also on an emotional level. 

Erotic novels typically have the basics of a story such as a plot line, character development, insight, imagery, etc. Depending upon the author's writing, some Erotic novels aren't as appealing to those that prefer novels with a wider variety of vocabulary and description.

Out of curiosity, I researched a little bit about Erotica and its correspondence with women. I found an interesting study called Gender, Romance Novels and Plastic Sexuality in the United States: A Focus on Female College Students. The study was done in 2006 by  Hue-Hsia Wu, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Boise State University. 

In summary, the study explores whether or not women who read romance novels have a stronger interest in sexuality than men who read romance novels, and non-readers. However, as hypothesized in the study, a stronger sexual interest does not necessarily mean that women will be more active in sexual behavior.

What was interesting was that on page 126 of the study, there is a description of the mating strategies that each gender associates with. The article pretty much says that the male mating strategy is to sexually visualize unfamiliar women when fantasizing. 

Whereas, female fantasies are typically based on, "symbolic meanings, interpretive representation, of sexual self and a relationship." This expresses why women prefer to read erotic romance novels over pornography. 

Women are more geared towards finding an emotional connection to the stories, reflecting themselves within the novel, exploring relationships through a character's eyes, and in a way experiencing their own sexual fantasy by reading in-depth descriptions. 

I wonder, what do those of you who read Erotica or even those of you who don't read it think the reason why women read Erotica is? Do you agree with my opinion or not? If not, then what is your opinion?

Top 10 Characteristics That Make A Great Romance Novel

There are many romance novels out there. Some are great, and some not so great. 
I think that there are some basic qualities a romance novel must have:

1. The ability to make a person feel along with the characters.  
1. A romance novel without a true connection to the reader is pointless. There must be some way of relating to the story or else there would be no reason to read it.
   
2. A plot that isn't predictable.
1. If you've read a lot of novels, you probably have the ability to predict what will happen in the story within reading a certain amount of pages. That is exactly what needs to be avoided. A predictable plot makes the reader want to put the book down rather than draw the reader in. The plot should have its high moments and low moments. It should be able to shock the reader at times, and then calm the reader.
   
3. Descriptive imagery of the characters. 
1. This is something that I really enjoy seeing in a novel. I love detailed descriptions of characters so that I am able to picture them in my mind. Although, the descriptions don't have to come in all at once. They need to be spread out amongst the context of the scene.
   
4. A desired fantasy. 
1. This quality can be taken in different ways depending on the audience. If the novel is written for Adults, then the content may extend to sexual encounters. However, if the novel is written for Young Adults, the novel may explore some sexual content if really necessary. This topic can get a little iffy especially when it comes to publishing companies because they have requirements for certain age groups. A desired fantasy could also mean the setting and theme of the novel.
   
5. A good lense. 
1. This quality has more emphasis towards the perception of the characters and their surroundings. Typically, I like to see an author incorporate all 5 senses into his or her work. Using all 5 senses gives more depth into the novel. It helps to connect and describe certain events or the setting.
   
6. Perspective from each of the main characters. 
1. I honestly hate when authors write a novel that is completely one-sided. Even if the novel is written in first person, the author should be able to project other character's perspectives in some form.
   
7. Character development. 
1. This is a key quality. Each character should go through some type of change whether it be physical, mental, or even internal. Without character development, the characters would be the same from beginning to end.
   
8. Originality. 
1. Creating an original story can be hard from the writer's perspective. Every novel has some idea that is the same in other novels, but the key to this is to harness the idea and make it your own in some way. Slightly changing the plot and characters isn't enough to fully make a story your own. It needs to have an essence of originality in it.
   
9. Obstacles. 
1. There must be obstacles that the main characters go through, especially in romantic relationships. Without obstacles, there would be no building blocks for a relationship. The characters must learn to hit an obstacle and work their way through it together.
   
10. Grammatically correct! 
1. Even in some of the greatest novels I've read, there are typos and errors. Incorrect grammar can become distracting, especially for those with an "inner editor." Correct grammar helps the reader to view the text without distractions and makes the novel appear more clean-cut and professional.

Introduction: My Personal Addiction To Romance Novels

This is a photo of me taken by me.

Hello, my name is Stephanie Teater. I am currently a Sophomore at Washburn University and am majoring in English-Writing Emphasis with a minor in Psychology. 

As an aspiring romance writer, I crave the psychological escape within romance novels. Some of you might be wondering why my escape is within the confines of something as simple as a romance novel. I don't know about you guys, but as you might predict, I am a hopeless romantic. I am a romance novel addict and I've read many romance novels from a variety of authors.

Romance novels explore the dream of eternal love through words on a page. Not to be cliche, but romance novels pursue the idea that love conquers all. I think that anyone who picks up a romance novel for the first time innately desires some variant of true love. The definition of true love may vary from one person to another, but ultimately the desire exists within the reader. It is the reader's means of fulfilling a missing part of themselves or a missing part of their lives. In some cases, it rekindles that desire when hope is lost. 

Romance novels can also be a great source of insight. Of course, real life circumstances are different from ones within a fictional story. However, many stories contain elements that a reader may connect with. The story may even give the reader more insight into their current relationship.

Romance novels that lean more towards the genre of fantasy really give the reader a wide variety of an escape. Strong elements of fiction are placed within these novels. Most novels such as these describe different worlds, people, values, etc. They give the reader a chance to expand their minds and open up to new ideas. This is something that I want to do with my writing. Not only do I want to capture a reader's attention and make him or her feel, but I want a reader to open his or her mind and immerse his or herself in a new world.