I'm not actually going to rant about 'romance' I'm going to rant about people's misconception of the genre.
Our Utah chapter holds a conference every fall and we bring in many big names in the publishing industry. This year, in order to spread the word I began sending media alerts to all the Utah newspapers sometime in June. The Salt Lake City Tribune has the most readers and this is the one I really wanted to have something posted in.
As all of you know, we're having a bit of a slow economy--I know that's an understatement--but most people can't fork out $175 at the drop of a hat. I emailed the SL Tribune books editor personally to explain we'd like to have the conference information in the paper a month or so early so people can plan and save. And also because there is a late registration fee after the 6th of September.
Yes it has come and gone. In fact our conference is Friday October 8th and Saturday October 9th. When did the editor put this information in the paper? Today. Yes October 3rd which is 5 day's prior to the conference. Not only have we stopped taking registrations with a check, we only are taking PayPal registrations and there is now a $10 fee and we've already turned in our final head count for food.
The post in the paper doesn't advice of the late fee, and makes no mention of the booksigning that will be held Friday night with our special guests NY Times Best Selling Authors Christine Feehan and Lynn Kurland. Not to mention USA Today Best selling author RaeAnne Thayne and many other authors. And yes, I've been sending information on this since June also.
As you can tell, I'm frustrated. I go through this every year. It's our state, everyone believes romance authors are a bunch of bodice rippers. At booksignings people will stop by your table and as soon as they find out it's romance, they walk away. I have seen this happen at almost every booksigning I've attended for the chapter.
If James Patterson were at the table, no one would walk away as fast as their legs would carry them. Nor would they for Nora Roberts. Around here, romance authors are not considered serious writers. In fact some people dare to say we write porn. I wish I could shout, NOT TRUE, from the tallest mountain. Not that anyone would believe me.
In fact, we have a locally owned bookstore in SLC called Kings English. A few years ago I called them about their local author page on their web site. There were none of the Utah RWA authors listed on it. When I inquired I was told, "We don't carry romance." Yet when I saw their bookstore booth at the art festival they had, Nora Roberts, Karen Robards, Jayne Ann Krantz, and several others. I would have said something to the owner had she been there, but it was manned by two young students. What good would it have done for me to point out to them that although they claim to not carry romance, they sure had a lot of books by romance authors?
It this just a Utah thing, or is this everywhere? And why? I know I work just as hard on my manuscripts as an author who writes any other genre. What about you? If you do have this problem in your area or state, who do you work around it? How do you convince people that we have something of value to offer a reader?
I'm done ranting--for now.
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9 comments:
I feel your pain. Back in August, I sent a blurb in to RWR about our very small Hudson Valley chapter's first special event -- EVER -- when our special guest Trish Owens from The Wild Rose Press will be at our meeting to discuss epublishing and TWRP, among other things. No charge. I was just hoping we'd get a turn-out of romance writers from the surrounding areas, since we only get a handful of regular members at our meeting.
Now one of my members reports that our poor little blurb somehow got mashed into another chapter's $50 event in RWR (mine hasn't arrived, though here it is October 7 already), even though we're calling ours "Autumn in NY" and they're in the midwest.
RWR was our main avenue to promote the event -- since RWA has put the kibosh on promotional announcements on all its various yahoo loops (with the exception of the chapter president's loop, apparently) -- and nothing we can do about it now.
I know this isn't YOUR topic, but I also wanted to rant and vent. Sometimes RWA doesn't do us any favors, either.
Sorry.
Good morning, Mary and followers of M&M. Great topic, Mary. We clearly have an image problem, but I do think it is changing a tad. Romance is the only category that has been rapidly selling in this economy, but is also growing. That says something. Also, now that we have the romance genre expanding with so many sub-genres, I think we'll see even more growth.
So, let's stick to our guns. Keep writing. And, keep standing up for ourselves.
Great post, Mary, and so true. Image is an issue with the genre, so all we can do is keep trying to change that. And be proud of what we write :-)
Great post Mary. One thing I've found out with the press, and I guess that can include RWR from what you said Taryn, is they either dump on us or ignore us. Who wants to read about two people falling in love when murder and mayhem sells more papers. Not to mention, how would you like the following to describe you as written in an international newspaper.
The Washington Post, Saturday July 18, 2009- "...Perky, pouty, evocative. Of course, Lindsay Downs is a man." Being described that way is enough to put me off from the press for life. Trust me, and you ladies know me, I'm far from perky but get me mad I might pout, then turn around and use your name as a villin or a victim of the villin and I don't even want to got there with evocative.
No, the press does and prints what they want and what sells papers. Just because romance is the single biggest seller doesn't do it for them.
Mary at least your lucky to get any newspaper mention and Taryn, I know it's to late but maybe you can get a printed apology from the RWR editor for their error.
Good luck with the conference Mary.
Maybe it's because romance writers are fulfilling such an important need (escapism) that the genre is increasing in popularity as we've suffered such economic difficulty. Thank God for you ladies who write this genre; you are providing stress relief, renewal, and a dream of a better future for your readers. Yay, romance writers! Lift your heads high!
Oh, and something else, when my sister-in-law was struggling with end-stage cancer, romances and mysteries gave her a chance to escape her pain and fear. Thank you for writing books that can make such a profound difference.
M
Mary, I feel your pain. That is one of those things that is beyond your control and unfortunately, cannot be fixed in time.
I hear snarky references to romance books all the time on TV and in movies. Literary novels might win accolades, but romance and mysteries sell books.
Lets see, do I want to curl up on the beach with War and Peace or the new Evanovich novel?
Mary, sorry to hear you're going through this. I fear it's not your state, but the state of mind about romance everywhere.
And it truly puzzles me. I mean, what is one of the most important things in most people lives? Their romantic relationship, right? So why are movies that deal with that considered "chick flicks", and "romances" considered "porn". (Does porn have character arcs, by the way? LOL)
People don't seem to WANT to change their narrow-minded view of romance, so I'm not sure it's a very good use of time or energy to try. It's better to write for the ones who love us. :)
Thank you for all the comments. All of them are great.
I'm now at the conference so sorry that I've been MIA today.
We have Sue Grimshaw the Romance buyer from Borders, Steven Axelrod, Laurie McLean, Heather Osborn and Christine Feehan.
Good time.
If you have a book signing at your conference. They will promote the signing which in turn will promote the conference.
Taryn, rant and rave anytime you'd like. I understand!
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