Writing & Reading Romance: Which Genre of Romance To Choose

As I set out on my journey to becoming a published author, I've come to the realization that I want to be a Romance novel author. One particular fellow hubber inspired me to write in the Romantic genres, and I believe she knows who she is. The Romance genre of writing really called out to me in a way that I couldn't deny, but I ran into another decision to make once I realized there is more than one type of Romance novel. There are actually subgenres of the Romance genre, if you can believe it. Here we discuss the different subcategories in the world of Romance novels and identify the steamy factors that determine their classifications. Maybe you will find that you would like to write or even try reading one of these enthralling subgenres of the Romantic written word.

Ahhh, Paranormal Romance. One subgenre of Romance that seems to be growing more and more popular among readers, authors, and even filmmakers. What is all the hub-bub about the Paranormal Romance genre? Paranormal Romance is a thrilling subcategory of the Romance genre, as it encompasses passionate stories of romance but the author throws in a werewolf, vampire, or ghost and BAM! You have a dark, mysterious subgenre of Romance unlike any of the other Romance subgenres. There are many other themes and characters in Paranormal Romance novels besides the typical vamp or shapeshifter, including angels, gods, mermaids, fairies, druids, and time travel.

Some of the most popular Paranormal Romances have been made into films and television shows. Maybe you've heard of the Twilight movies? Well, those movies were actually inspired and made based on a book series by the author Stephanie Meyer. And you guessed it, they are considered to be a part of the Paranormal Romance subgenre. Another good example of a Paranormal Romance book series that has made it to our TV screens is the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. The Sookie Stackhouse series' main character is Sookie Stackhouse, who is a beautiful, Southern girl with a psychic edge. She meets and falls in love with a vampire in a small town in Louisiana and soon comes to learn that there are many supernatural creatures and elements all around her, all of the time. She faces many difficult challenges, including fighting supernatural enemies and much more. Can you guess what Television show features Charlaine Harris' Southern Belle heroine? It's HBO's True Blood series, if you hadn't figured it out.

The Paranormal Romance genre keeps expanding and authors are popping up almost everyday on the internet and through traditional publishing. The vampire and werewolf theme seems to be getting sort of played out, so if one chooses to write in this subgenre of Romance, one should try to find a unique theme in which to write those spooky, sexy stories. As for readers looking for a darker and more suspenseful subgenre of Romance novels, the Paranormal Romance subgenre could be the right one for you!

Historical Romance is a fun and educational subgenre of Romance. For writers, much research has to be done in order to complete a well-rounded and exciting Historical Romance novel. Why does research need to be performed? Well, a reader doesn't want to read a historical romance based in London in the late 1800's if the novel paints a different picture than it intended. Wouldn't you be confused if you thought you were reading a novel set in 1869 London and the author is talking about "driving"? Obviously when an author writes a historical romance novel, they need to ensure that their facts are straight. The machines of that time period, the clothing of that time period, the occupations and pastimes of that time period are all very key pieces to making a historical romance novel enjoyable and readable.

When I hear the words Historical Romance, I automatically think Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility. Jane Austen and also Charlotte Bronte were two pioneers for the Romance genre and now their classics are seen as historical romance because they were set in an elegant time in the past. When deciding to write historical romance, one has many time periods from which to choose from, the options are endless! Eras for historical romance include the Medieval times, Colonial times, biblical and Pagan times, and even Prehistoric times. Edwardian and Victorian eras are very popular among historical romance readers, as they tend to be very provocative and instill a sense of glamour that many of the other time periods lack.

Contemporary Romance is set in modern times with modern people and dilemmas. This is the main genre of Romance and we can see many budding authors in the Romance genre getting their start with a simple, yet steamy Contemporary Romance novel. Some of the more popular authors in the Contemporary Romance genre include Nora Roberts, Christy Tillery French, Karen Rose Smith and Danielle Steel.

Though I am not a huge fan of Contemporary Romance novels, many women and even men are falling prey to the addiction of Contemporary Romance. The main characters, hero and heroine, are often characters that remind us of ourselves, but end up on a fantastic journey into the unknown world of romance and passion. This type of Romance novel often gives us hope for our own love lives and something to lose ourselves in the process.

Sort of a newer subgenre of Romance that is blooming in the exciting world of Romance is known as Retro Romance. What is the difference between Historical Romance and Retro Romance? Retro Romance novels focus on characters and plotlines based in the 1940's through the 1980's. These novels have a very vintage nostalgic feel. An example would be a romance between two lovers in the 1960's, during the hippie movement. Or maybe a geeky teen couple that fall in love in high school in the 1980's. An even more romantic theme in the retro romance subgenre is that of a woman who waits for her lover to return home from WWII in the 1940's.

The age old debate, is erotica simply a subgenre of Romance or something altogether different? While many erotica lovers claim that erotica is an entity in and of itself, others beg to differ. Erotica is different in that all of the erotic books indulge in the writer's and reader's forbidden side. The reader feels naughty when reading an erotic book and engages specifically with the erotic moments, as the book is not necessarily focused on a hero and heroine with their emerging conflicts and resolutions so much as it is focused merely on the steamy scenes. Romance novels can include erotic moments, but they tend to have a thick storyline with developed main characters which is usually in opposition to strictly erotic novels. I do feel as though Erotica is different from Romance in many ways, but at the same time, isn't sex simply another aspect of romance, no matter how provocative the scene?

Erotica is a very intriguing type of romance to write and also to read. There is a type of Erotica on the market for everyone, both straight and homosexual, both white and black (or interracial), and both conservative and wild. Indulge in your wild side and write or read some erotica today.