Writing Journey
Viewing comments for Chapter 1 "What is Romance?"Help with writing, mine and yours.
35 total reviews
Comment from Wendy G
I do definitely feel you are on the right track, and I think many people prefer your style of writing without the erotic elements. Yours provide a little bit of escapism, and the happy endings tend to be a bit of a relief from an unhappy world with too many stories with sad or tragic endings. I liked the research - found it very interesting to see all the different kinds and categorisations of romance. Well done. Keep doing what you do.
Wendy
reply by the author on 03-Aug-2022
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I do definitely feel you are on the right track, and I think many people prefer your style of writing without the erotic elements. Yours provide a little bit of escapism, and the happy endings tend to be a bit of a relief from an unhappy world with too many stories with sad or tragic endings. I liked the research - found it very interesting to see all the different kinds and categorisations of romance. Well done. Keep doing what you do.
Wendy
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 03-Aug-2022
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Thank you for the support. I appreciate it.
Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell
That was really interesting, Barbara. I didn't know there were so many types of romance. It is a wide playing field. Then you have to look through the many agents to see who would be prepared to take you on. Or a publisher. Both are hard to find. Too many want you to pay 'half' the costs, but when you look at what they are prepared to do, it's not a lot. I wouldn't suggest anyone go down that road. If they like your work that much, they would cover all the costs and pay you a fee. Now to try and sort my book out and see which category mine is! Loved this, my friend. Well done. Sandra xx
reply by the author on 03-Aug-2022
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That was really interesting, Barbara. I didn't know there were so many types of romance. It is a wide playing field. Then you have to look through the many agents to see who would be prepared to take you on. Or a publisher. Both are hard to find. Too many want you to pay 'half' the costs, but when you look at what they are prepared to do, it's not a lot. I wouldn't suggest anyone go down that road. If they like your work that much, they would cover all the costs and pay you a fee. Now to try and sort my book out and see which category mine is! Loved this, my friend. Well done. Sandra xx
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 03-Aug-2022
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I enjoyed reading. Let me know where you feel yours falls into. I have an idea, but not sure.
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That's just it, I don't know. There are a couple of sexual scenes, and the romance is definitely there. Mystery? I think so. Murder, yes. What do you think it would come under. I think 4 is the closest but not quite it.
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I would say 'Speculative romance is any romance "in which the 'laws' of that world (explicit or implied) are different than ours.)'
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I would go with that! 😊
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I think it hits all the elements.
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Yes. And I agree with your assessment of your own romantic books. As you said of mine, 'contemporary romance' ticks all your buttons.
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LOL You're sweet.
Comment from karenina
Hey, thanks! Lots of facts about the romance genre I hadn't thought about! My daughter and I used to joke that it wasn't a good old-fashioned "Harlequin" romance if the line "He stood with his arms akimbo" didn't appear somewhere in the first three chapters!
I josh--but there are some sophisticated romance novels these days--and as you point out, there are blends of mystery, suspense, sci-fi, fantasy...
I noted that among the requirements for the defined romance novel "A happy ending" seems to be mandatory.
Nice. Just a crying shame that's not the way it works out in real life much of the time!
(Then again, that's also why this is true:
"Which Book Genres Earn the Most Money?
1. Romance / Erotica ($1.44 billion)
2. Crime / Mystery ($728.2 million)
3. Religious / Inspirational ($720 million)
4. Science Fiction and Fantasy ($590.2 million)"
I think we all need some happy endings!
Karenina
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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Hey, thanks! Lots of facts about the romance genre I hadn't thought about! My daughter and I used to joke that it wasn't a good old-fashioned "Harlequin" romance if the line "He stood with his arms akimbo" didn't appear somewhere in the first three chapters!
I josh--but there are some sophisticated romance novels these days--and as you point out, there are blends of mystery, suspense, sci-fi, fantasy...
I noted that among the requirements for the defined romance novel "A happy ending" seems to be mandatory.
Nice. Just a crying shame that's not the way it works out in real life much of the time!
(Then again, that's also why this is true:
"Which Book Genres Earn the Most Money?
1. Romance / Erotica ($1.44 billion)
2. Crime / Mystery ($728.2 million)
3. Religious / Inspirational ($720 million)
4. Science Fiction and Fantasy ($590.2 million)"
I think we all need some happy endings!
Karenina
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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We all do need more happy ending. I know I could use a more of them. Thank you for the kind review.
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You're very welcome!
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Very succinct. Good writing.
I'm not sure where 'Harlequin Romance' novels fit within your definitions. Maybe it's erotica, I don't know. But I thought they were more or less limited sexually to 'heaving bosoms' and uh, whatever - making out stuff.
Best wishes.
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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Very succinct. Good writing.
I'm not sure where 'Harlequin Romance' novels fit within your definitions. Maybe it's erotica, I don't know. But I thought they were more or less limited sexually to 'heaving bosoms' and uh, whatever - making out stuff.
Best wishes.
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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That's true. They have all levels of heat in their novels. Their author's write need to fit a certain formula. I refuse to do that. LOL Thank you for the kind review.
Comment from Shirley McLain
Thanks for the education on the romance books. Being female, I love to read them, but I'm terrible at writing them. Great job. Enjoy your afternoon. Shirley
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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Thanks for the education on the romance books. Being female, I love to read them, but I'm terrible at writing them. Great job. Enjoy your afternoon. Shirley
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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Thank you for the kind review. You're good you could easily do it.
Comment from Judy Lawless
Thanks for sharing all this great research you've done, Barbara. It makes me feel I'm on the right track with my one and only romance novel, and I think you are too. I did see in one of your responses that you plot out your stories, but then they take off on their own. I've noticed in your latest novel it's become more interesting and real. Perhaps that's because you've let your characters have their way? :)
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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Thanks for sharing all this great research you've done, Barbara. It makes me feel I'm on the right track with my one and only romance novel, and I think you are too. I did see in one of your responses that you plot out your stories, but then they take off on their own. I've noticed in your latest novel it's become more interesting and real. Perhaps that's because you've let your characters have their way? :)
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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My characters to write their own novel. I start them and they take off. They have in all my novels. It's amazing and frustrating at the same time. Thank you for the kind review.
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You're most welcome, Barbara. I think letting them just take off is the best way. lol
Comment from BethShelby
I think you did a good job with your research and the figures as to popularity sound reasonable. I like all the books I read to have a love angle. Mystery and Love works well together and Drama and Love work together. Comedy and Love work and I have no problem with that Christian love story. The love angle seems important to me. I just wish FanStory had a separate category for non-fiction instead of calling in a novel. Your stories are ones I always enjoy reading. I'm glad to know the rules for writing a romance novel. You follow them well.
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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I think you did a good job with your research and the figures as to popularity sound reasonable. I like all the books I read to have a love angle. Mystery and Love works well together and Drama and Love work together. Comedy and Love work and I have no problem with that Christian love story. The love angle seems important to me. I just wish FanStory had a separate category for non-fiction instead of calling in a novel. Your stories are ones I always enjoy reading. I'm glad to know the rules for writing a romance novel. You follow them well.
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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Thank you for the kind review.
Comment from jessizero
I found this interesting, informative, and entertaining. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and results of research here. Best wishes to you once again.
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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I found this interesting, informative, and entertaining. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and results of research here. Best wishes to you once again.
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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Thank you for the kind review.
Comment from Ulla
Hi Barbara, thanks for sharing this thorough, analysis of what a romance novel is. I do believe you write just that, and you do it very well. If I have any criticism, it would be that the theme seems a bit repetitive. There's no need to keep on saying how long they have known each other. It doesn't really matter. Love blooms when it does. I should know. My first husband and I married (in church) barely a month after we met each other and we were happily married for 16 years. We have a daughter and three grandchildren to prove the point. Just saying. Ulla:)))
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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Hi Barbara, thanks for sharing this thorough, analysis of what a romance novel is. I do believe you write just that, and you do it very well. If I have any criticism, it would be that the theme seems a bit repetitive. There's no need to keep on saying how long they have known each other. It doesn't really matter. Love blooms when it does. I should know. My first husband and I married (in church) barely a month after we met each other and we were happily married for 16 years. We have a daughter and three grandchildren to prove the point. Just saying. Ulla:)))
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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I only do that in my posts for FS because I get a lot of people who want them to jump into bed. Some the day they meet. I take it out of my final manuscript. Thank you for the kind review.
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Well, that is your decision make. Just ignore them, I would say. Lol. :)))
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I get comments on every post from the same people.
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That's not right, just ignore them. :)))
Comment from Tina Crute
I am not an expert but I do like to read romance novels. What I look for and what I enjoy reading is two people "finding" each other, through believable but sometimes improbable events. I think romance is self-realization and also realization of someone else's good qualities that gradually draw us to them, even if we hate them at first meeting, lol. It's about finding that the things that really matter, things two people match up on. And it is emotion! The feeling of being in love can't be beat:) Hope this helps!
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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I am not an expert but I do like to read romance novels. What I look for and what I enjoy reading is two people "finding" each other, through believable but sometimes improbable events. I think romance is self-realization and also realization of someone else's good qualities that gradually draw us to them, even if we hate them at first meeting, lol. It's about finding that the things that really matter, things two people match up on. And it is emotion! The feeling of being in love can't be beat:) Hope this helps!
Comment Written 02-Aug-2022
reply by the author on 02-Aug-2022
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I appreciate your review. Thank you.
