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Wednesday, February 07, 2018

IWSG: What I love most about the romance genre


Hosted by: Insecure Writer's Support Group

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! If it links to Google+, be sure your blog is listed there. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

This month's question: What do you love most about the genre you write in most often? 

Right off the top of my head, I can think of seven reasons. There are probably more, but seven covers it pretty well:

  1. I love a book with a happy ending, which is required for it to be called a romance
  2. I love that romance novels can also incorporate all other genres, although the love story will always be the primary plot
  3. I love seeing how two people, generally a man and a woman, (although there are m/m and lesbian romances) learn how to overcome their weak traits and become better people by loving each other
  4. I love seeing how true love makes sacrifices to overcome all external barriers to love
  5. I love the romantic tension
  6. I love the opportunity to step into others' lives and live them vicariously
  7. I love the enormous variety of tropes. They are so much fun, such as "man thought dead returns," "forbidden love," "beloved enemy," "friends become lovers," "enemies become lovers," and so on. 




34 comments:

  1. A great post and it was interesting why you love "Roance Genre".

    Enjoy your Wednesday.
    Yvonne.

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    1. Enjoy yours too, Yvonne. IWSG is always a fun blog hop.

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  2. #2 is exactly what I love about the romance genre. You can do so much with it and incorporate every other genre/sub-genre to make it new, suspenseful, etc.

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    1. I also have so much fun with the tropes. I'm sure other genres have theirs, but romance tropes are especially delicious (for a romance lover, at least).

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  3. These are some great reasons for loving the romance genre - I love some tropes, no matter how many times I see them.

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    1. I do get tired of the marriage of convenience trope. It's overdone, IMO.

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  4. I agree!!! I've heard romance started it all. Romance can squeeze into, just about, every story. Good post.

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  5. I'm with you on the romance. I like a romantic element in the books I read. I think it gives the main characters more to lose.

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  6. Awww. I'm not much of a romance reader myself (then again, I'm not a very romantic person either), but I do love a good relationship!

    Loni

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    1. Oddly, I don't consider myself particularly romantic, yet it's got to exist in the books I read and write.

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  7. I agree with your reasons. The romance genre can and does encompass so much more than just the love story of the main characters. The obstacles and hurdles they face as individuals, family drama, all sorts of things can and are added to make romance stories so fulfilling.

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    1. Yes, and with the romance downplayed, the story turns into one of the other genres that is undoubtedly present in the romance novel.

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  8. Oh, yes, a happy ending is a must. I enjoy a good romance though I don't read many of them. Stay too busy with children's books.

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    1. No problem there. Oddly, I was a children's librarian and I read literally thousands of picture books--and love them--yet I have no interest in writing them. It takes brevity, poetry and cleverness--none of which are my strong suits.

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  9. Totally agree! I love those tropes as well, I think friends to lovers and second chance are my two favourites

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    1. Oh, yes, love those. But my absolute favorites are the ones I mentioned.

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  10. I *too* enjoy the romance genre. Like you said, the seven pretty much cover it ;)

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    1. Good. I was worried I should've tried to think of ten reasons. ;)

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  11. Those reasons make romance sound fun to write. I do like happy endings when I'm reading. Even in suspense, I'd rather finish the story with a good feeling.

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    1. Hubby and I like to watch suspenseful movies and series, and in the series, it's always a downer when they kill off one of your favorite characters.

      I don't think romance does this very often, if ever.

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  12. I love Happily Ever After stories! I devour them. And I watch romantic comedies all the time! And I always put a little romance in my novels.

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    1. I won't read a book that's a downer. My life has enough of that in it already.

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  13. Yes, for these reasons, I also enjoy romance.

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  14. These are some the reasons I like romance too, although I prefer the romance to be the secondary plot line, not the primary one.

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    1. I used to prefer the romance to be the secondary plot line, as well, but somewhere along the way, my mind changed. Maybe it's because romances outsell every other genre by far.

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  15. Even though I don't tend to write them, I do like to read stories with happy endings. :)

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    1. Interesting. Well, I like to read picture books, but I have no talent for writing them, so I get what you mean.

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  16. Yes! You always know the couple will get together in the end, but you don't know the ups and downs along the way.

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  17. I LOVE romance stories-- writing them, reading them, watching them in movies. Happy endings make my day.

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  18. Hi,
    I love books with happy endings also and another thing that I enjoy about the romance field is that you can branch out and mixed the genres.
    Wishing you all the best in your writing.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G

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