As a writer, the most common question you’ll ever be asked is, “What do you write?”
I remember a time, not too long ago when I was asked this question and I didn’t have an answer. Not because I didn’t know what genre I wrote, but because I was embarrassed of the answer.
I didn’t (and I still don’t) write literary fiction. I don’t write the types of stories that will ever be nominated for prestigious awards or be published in distinguished literary magazines.
I used to think that because I wrote romance and women’s fiction, I was less of a writer.
I don’t anymore. I’ll admit that it was hard to come to this realization, but then I started thinking about it…I write for entertainment. It’s my purpose to entertain women. To allow them to forget about their troubles and stresses and escape into a world where they don’t have to worry about money, or if they’ve done the laundry, or if their husband is home late again. And yes, there are other genres to do that with, but I choose romance.
And I’m not alone. According to The Business of Consumer Book Publishing 2013:
- Romance was the top-performing category on the best-seller lists in 2012
- Romance fiction sales are estimated at $1.350 billion for 2013
And compared to other genres, the romance market share is massive. Here are some numbers according to Simba Information estimates:
- Romance fiction: $1.438 billion in estimated revenue for 2012
- Religion/inspirational: $717.9 million
- Mystery: $728.2 million
- Science fiction/fantasy: $590.2 million
- Classic literary fiction: $470.5 million
But beyond these numbers, I’m proud to write romance.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is there’s still a stigma attached to many genres. Inevitably, as a writer you’ll hear… “Oh, you write romance? Those books are so dirty.” OR “Cozy mysteries? Does anyone even read those anymore?” OR “YA fantasy? Are you one of those people who still wish you were a teenager?“
Sadly, you’ll hear these things from other writers, too.
Genre stigma is a reality, but the good news is, we don’t have to buy in. How boring would the literary world be with only one genre? Besides, there is so much ‘genre-bending’ and crossover now, does it even matter? Write what you want…read what you want!
I may never win a literary award or be published in a journal, but I will cheer the loudest for my writing buddies when it happens to them. And you know what? I’m proud to write romance and women’s fiction because it’s what I enjoy and if I can provide an escape to even one reader, I’m good. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a particularly good looking hero that needs to fall in love with a particularly feisty heroine. 
