About the Romance GenreThe romance industry is booming! In 2016, romance made up 23% of the overall US fiction market, second only to General Fiction†. On this page you'll find information about:
Have more questions about the genre? Contact [email protected]! The BasicsRomance fiction is smart, fresh and diverse. Whether you enjoy contemporary dialogue, historical settings, mystery, thrillers or any number of other themes, there's a romance novel waiting for you! DefinitionTwo basic elements comprise every romance novel: a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. A Central Love Story: The main plot centers around individuals falling in love and struggling to make the relationship work. A writer can include as many subplots as they want as long as the love story is the main focus of the novel. An Emotionally Satisfying and Optimistic Ending: In a romance, the lovers who risk and struggle for each other and their relationship are rewarded with emotional justice and unconditional love. Romance novels may have any tone or style, be set in any place or time, and have varying levels of sensuality—ranging from sweet to extremely hot. These settings and distinctions of plot create specific subgenres within romance fiction. Romance SubgenresAll romance novels have a central love story and an emotionally satisfying ending. Beyond that, however, romance novels may have any tone or style, be set in any place or time, and have varying levels of sensuality—ranging from sweet to extremely hot. Romance fiction may be classified into various subgenres depending on setting and plot elements. These subgenres include: Contemporary Romance: Romance novels that are set from 1950 to the present that focus primarily on the romantic relationship Erotic Romance: Romance novels in which strong, often explicit, sexual interaction is an inherent part of the love story, character growth and relationship development and could not be removed without damaging the storyline. These novels may contain elements of other romance subgenres (such as paranormal, historical, etc.). Historical Romance: Romance novels that are set prior to 1950. Paranormal Romance: Romance novels in which fantasy worlds or paranormal or science fiction elements are an integral part of the plot. Romance with Spiritual Elements: Romance novels in which spiritual beliefs are an inherent part of the love story, character growth or relationship development, and could not be removed without damaging the storyline. These novels may be set in the context of any religious or spiritual belief system of any culture. Romantic Suspense: Romance novels in which suspense, mystery, or thriller elements constitute an integral part of the plot. Young Adult Romance: Romance novels in which young adult life is an integral part of the plot. The Romance ReaderIn 2017, RWA commissioned "The Romance Book Buyer 2017: A Study by NPD Book for Romance Writers of America." A portion of the results can be found below. Who is the romance reader?
Reading Habits
Acquiring Romance Books
Further InsightsThe future of romance is the younger emerging readership. These younger readers are:
Source and MethodologySource: The Romance Book Buyer 2017: A Study by NPD Book for Romance Writers of America Methodology
Permission is granted by Romance Writers of America to link to this page and/or use portions of the statistics with proper citation. Do not reprint or copy this information in its entirety. |