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So I've noticed that we have a bunch of other genres, but not romance. Crazy! Yes, yes, I know. Writing romance is often frowned upon as something for elderly women and people who have nothing better to do with their lives - but that's not entirely true, is it?

Romance can be a fun and easy way to get to know your characters, and nearly all other novels have romantic subplots. Do you think romance works as a stand-alone genre, or should it remain a subplot? Anybody here a proud writer of romance? :3

Edit 2012: Romance is booming in the market at the moment and picks up in almost every book you pick up. How do you handle romance?

Romance in general bores me to death and/or frustrates me.

If other people want to write it, fine, but I'm not going to read it.

The only romance I can stand for is period romance- falling in love was more important back then.

I don't like romance as a subplot, because I always feel like the romantic item is getting in the way of the rest of the plot, and slows the progression. I know its supposed to pertain to the story, but I really just fill like its wasting my time. Heroes should not bring their girlfriends when they're saving the world. In fact, heroes just shouldn't date while they try to save the earth- it always bites them in the butt anyway.

I also hate love triangles. Hate hate hate them. I don't think there is anything in any book that irks me more than a love triangle. No, I don't find them exciting, I find them unusually cruel and repetetive.

I've only read a few romance-genre novels. They were okay. They aren't my favorites, but I know I'll probably pick a few more up in the future just to read them.

I only write romance as a subplot. In my writing, at least, I know that's where they belong. I really enjoy my romantic subplots, but they aren't going to grow very far past that. I think romance often adds a fun element to stories. I like multi-faceted plots, and romance often adds layers to personalities, relationships, and situations.

If I tried to make a romance novel, I know I'd screw it up. My style just isn't compatible with it. My stories are already heavily character driven. If I wrote a romance, my plots might disappear completely.

I agree with Neushwanstein with the bit about love triangles. I hate them. Usually if a romance subplot progresses to a love triangle, the focus on the story strays too far away from the rest of the main plot, and focuses on that dramatic dilemma. I find them extremely annoying.

'Back then' (however long ago that was) It was more critical for a woman to get married. She couldn't really provide for herself, and had very few rights. For a long time, women couldn't even own property. So, many women just married out of necessity. When a woman and a man actually fell in love it was more that just good- it was a lucky break for them!
I know that alot more couples fell in love back then, but the way the books and movies portray it, you wouldn't think so (which makes them more interesting to read/watch).
Also, now adays, people just sleep around with each other, date a dozen people on and off, get divorced and married a few times, and whatever else. Real love just isn't as special or sacred in this word anymore.
I know that as individuals, love is still as important to us as it ever was, but as race we have diminished its meaning.

So, if I'm going to read about people falling in love, it means more to me if they're from 'back then'. Also, social differences played a bigger role, which is a plot detail that has always caught my interest.


And about love triangles- they always get in the freaking way of everything else! I hate it when they steal the focus of a book.
Its like, "Please pause life-and-death scenario, while I decide who's heart to break".

Thanks for adding to your comment. ^^ I don't know, though, I don't think love is less sacred now. I think the difference is less about love no longer being sacred and more that we have come to value personal satisfaction and personal happiness over financial stability that came with marriage. And I don't mean that we are somehow worse now, but that we are able to value our own personal happiness and adjust our relationship status as needed.

If a woman is dependent on her husband for financial support for herself and the children, she has no options if he cheats on her or abuses her or blows all their money on gambling. With marriage being a financial and business arrangement, it meant that yes, people married for the stability or land or title or because they thought the person was attractive or whatever else-- but I think people slept around just as much, whether they kept mistresses or saw prostitutes on the streets or cheated with someone else's wife.

There's a long history of the wives being uneducated and left at home while the husbands spent time with highly educated courtesans, because wives were not expected to be on the same level intellectually--but men still liked spending time with witty, intelligent women, so what did you do?

Anyway, that's my take on it. xd

I read some romance, but I prefer heavy romance in books outside the actual mainstream romance genre. There are several issues I have that crop up a lot (happy endings must have marriage plus a baby on the way, stressing female chastity while allowing the man to be very experienced, the gender roles that still place the man in the dominant--and arrogant--position). But it's a much-loved genre for many people, and there are good and bad books being put out like in any other genre.

Yes, definitely-- I am a huge sucker for awesome period dress and getting a glimpse into a different world. It's one of the reasons I love nonfiction that really delves into the daily lives of the people instead of giving an overview and focusing on wars and politics. So I absolutely see why that would make the historical fiction a bigger draw when it comes to romance as well. 3nodding

On social norms: Agreed with Princess if the story is a time and place sort of thing, because values were different.

On love triangles: I can only ever think of three off the top of my head that work, and only one from a book (and the thing they all have in common is the characters involved are ALL developed and balanced, and they all have romance as an aside to the main plot):

-Erik, Christine, and Raoul from The Phantom of the Opera. Your mileage may vary on Raoul (especially for those who have only seen the movie, where his character is really cut short), but this works because Christine genuinely loves both of them, but is afraid of Erik (and in his case, he has her pity). She walks a tightrope throughout the whole book with keeping Erik content, but trying to stay loyal to Raoul.

-Emily, Victor, and Victoria from Corpse Bride. Emily and Victoria both dream of being brides, Victor wants to be a good husband, but is caught up in circumstances beyond his control. He does get to know both girls, and when he thinks he lost Victoria, he does what he can to make Emily happy. Neither bride is right nor wrong, and in the end, the whole mess was resolved neatly when Emily realizes that while she loved him, she was only marrying Victor for her own satisfaction. All parties ended up understanding and happy in the end.

-Joker, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy from Batman. Harley is obsessed with the Joker, and he often abuses her and throws her out, to which Harley will often go to Ivy for support, sex, and friendship---and Harley is one of the few people on the whole planet Ivy gives a damn about. Yet the Joker has been shown to give some concern and sometime reciprocates her advances (there is also the fact that he has yet to kill her when his henchmen have a VERY short lifespan...). The entire thing is played tragically and realistically: Harley is one of those girls who gets used and abused, yet sees nothing wrong when everyone else does. Ivy does what she can to help her and keep her away from the Joker, and the Joker is a manipulative b*****d who often only takes Harley back for his own selfish desires (or because it amuses him, or because...who knows? It is the Joker).

Note that I never said these were "true love," or even healthy, just that they were love triangles.

In any case, with each triangle, the dynamics of all of the characters are played to their logical extremes. The "other" partners (Erik, Emily, and Ivy) all have distinct personalities, and all have goals and dreams outside of the love interests (Erik wants Christine to rise as a diva, live a normal life, finish his final score, and die peacefully, Emily wants to rest in peace, Ivy has her eco-terrorism, schemes, and the desire to be treated as an equal).

Of them, only Phantom gives a "right" choice (Raoul), but Erik is still made even remotely sympathetic: he is a murderous raving madman, but all he wants is a normal life and a lovely wife to take out on Sundays. And he has shown his devotion to Christine several times, though Leroux still shows that while he is sympathetic, he is also very dangerous (which makes the fangirls who chastise Christine for choosing Raoul that much more of a wall-banger).

Ironically, I like my "romantic" plots to be unromantic. Corpse Bride is my favorite example of this. The whole thing is about brides, love, weddings, and marriage, but the main plot is not "Victor must choose which girl he loves" (it was Victoria from the start, and as mentioned, he only agreed to marry Emily because he thought he lost Victoria forever), but rather, "Victor is caught up in surreal circumstances and must find a way to either get home or deal with it." What intrigues me is the emotional torques as each character struggles to get what he or she wants, not the fact that Victor is going to hook up with one of the girls in the end. And in the end, I was in love with all three characters, and satisfied at how the love triangle was resolved: with understanding, and no hate or bitterness from anyone.

Jane- Not enough experience with love triangles? I'd like to get my hands on some of your reading material, because love triangles are oldest trick in the book, and they are hiding around every freaking literary corner.

Nightmare- I've just recently watched a little more on Batman, and I have to say I love your example of love triangle between the three villians.

And, I just finished watching Phantom of the Opera and that is a love triange that works- for once. I still cried when Erik was left by Christine though. From now on, I'm only watching the first half of that show.