The Beginning of a Trend
Dr. McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey’s character nickname on the TV show Grey’s Anatomy) might be surprised to learn that he is just one of a long line of ‘doctor romance heroes’. When Harlequin Publishing first began to publish romance novels in the 1950’s, many of the titles were a specific sub-genre, ‘medical romances’; the hero would usually be a doctor, and the heroine a nurse of some type.
Changing Times, Changing Trends
But eventually medical romances fell out of favor as, in the seventies, Gothic romance novels with a solitary young woman exploring a remote castle while trying to decide if the brooding owner of the castle was a hero or the villain, became popular. Sweeping historical romances, beginning with The Flame and the Flower, Kathleen Woodiwiss’s groundbreaking 1972 historical romance, also gained a following. Historicals have since then stayed strong, and even today endure, but other trends have blossomed; paranormal romances with vampire and shapeshifting heroes and heroines, and increasingly, erotic romances continue to gain favor. However medical romances are back, with Harlequin establishing their line, Harlequin Medical Romances.
To Lead or to Follow
But that leaves aspiring romance authors wondering whether they should try to jump on an established trend, hoping to ride it to publication, or follow their own direction, which may veer considerably from the beaten path, in an effort to be true to their inner muse.
Things to consider:
- How important is writing the only kind of story you read, to you? If you are only interested in one kind of story, then following a trend will not work.
- How important is becoming a published author to you? If it is the all-consuming desire and the only reason you’re writing, then following a trend, if you catch it early, may be best, if you can make it work with your own style.
Also, ask yourself:
- Are you a chameleon, able to change your fictional ‘colors’ easily? If you can adapt to new subject matter swiftly and enjoy writing a variety of styles, while still staying true to your own 'voice', then trend-following may be for you.
- How quickly or slowly do you write? If you are a slow, methodical writer, then you would be best not to follow a fashion. Once a trend is charted, manuscript submissions in that sub-genre multiply quickly, and editors are flooded. If you're a slow writer, you will be submitting work long after editors have filled their quota.
- Are you willing to commit to that sub-genre? If you write a popular book, the editor will want more of the same type; do you like the books enough to keep writing them?
Lag Time
The aspiring writer should also take into consideration the length of time between a novel being accepted for publication, and the actual publication date. It could take anywhere from one to two years for a title to make it to the shelves. If in that time the romance genre changes direction, the author could be left with a dud that no one wants to read. There is virtually no way to be certain until the book is on the shelves. An unfortunate side effect of trendiness in romance publishing is that readers often become bored once a fad reaches saturation point, and start looking for something fresh, thus inspiring a new trend.
Personal Decision
In the end every aspiring writer of romance novels has to make the decision; follow a trend or follow your gut? Following a trend can result in publication, but may lead the writer down the wrong career path. Following your gut is risky, especially if your writing is unusual, or your genre currently unpopular, so it may take a while to find a publisher willing to risk it. However the truth still remains, a good plot, with interesting characters, written well, will likely find an audience.
For more on romance fiction trends:
Read Romance, Writ Large from the Washington Post.
Read about paranormal romance fiction at All About Romance
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