So what would you say the geekiest fiction genre out there was? Science fiction, fantasy, young adult, graphic novels? They all definitely have a claim at the title. But would you believe me if I told you romance fiction was up there, too?
A month or so ago, I did a post on the hipness factor of the industry's biggest publisher, Harlequin. But it doesn't stop there. The romance industry as a whole has soaked up geek culture like a sponge, and it's, well, a match made in heaven.
Granted, if you haven't dropped in the romance section of your local bookstore lately, you're probably staring at what I just wrote with blinking eyes, remembering the books your mom left on the coffee table – covers featuring women in low-cut gowns with Playboy bosoms being clutched by Fabio clones, tales of cowboys and schoolmarms, and innumerable books in the captor-captive genre, which romanticized Stockholm Syndrome.
Kiss them goodbye – so to speak. Today's romance genre is a hell of a lot closer to Buffy and X-Files than Little House on the Prairie. You're not going to find the woman in the long gown getting swept away by a brutish rake anymore – today's heroines are more likely to be demon slayers, gun-toting detectives and psychics, true women of action.
The imprints of specific high marks in geek culture are all over these books, too. Harry Potter? Just look at the number of novels where the heroine is a witch. Buffy? Demon and vampire hunters abound – and, in an echo of her relationships with Angel and Spike, the hunter and hunted usually end up falling for each other. Anime? At least one book had a plot that sounded suspiciously like Yu Yu Hakusho, with undead supernatural investigators. Steampunk? Yep, it's here, too - one time-travel novel featured a heroine who came from a Girl Genius-type setting.
Furthermore, fan writers' willingness to write at all ratings levels is reflected here, too – most romance novels stay in the moderate spice level, but there's also the "erotic romance" genre, which gets much more adventurous (but still keeping the focus on plot, so this is no mere "porn for women"). And, yes, there's even a few tentative inroads into yaoi/slash – mostly in the form of male-male-female love triangles that end up as three-way relationship, although some small-press romance publishers do male-male novels.
So how did a genre so associated with being unhip become hip? Simple – young women raised on geeky entertainment entered the industry, bringing their interests with them and sweeping away a lot of outdated attitudes. The result is a subset of the industry which has weathered the economic storm while other segments of publishing are struggling to survive.
Are the traditional calico romances still there? Yes, but mostly in the "inspirational romance" genre, which has become huge business in itself by tightly targeting the Christian community – superserving a niche, any niche, is smart marketing. They've become the exception as far as mainstream romance is concerned, not the rule.
If you're looking for the ideal genre to try your first novel in, this may be the one. Whatever you want to write – vampires, werewolves, time-travel, mystery, suspense, sci-fi – it'll have a place here. (The one genre I've yet to see tackled, which I'll bet some geek writer can pull off – superhero/superheroine romance. Think Spiderman/Sailor Moon). And, hey, given the fanfiction community's emphasis on shipping, you probably have plenty of experience in relationship development anyway!
- Bonnie Walling
I never considered it but you have a point – women expecting geek stuff were likely an influence on changes in romance.
I’d also suggest one effect was “Star Trek: The Next Generator”. STNG had plenty of romantic tension and appealing characters of both genders. Kirk may have had a woman in every port, but STNG had the Picard/Crusher dynamic, the past of Riker/Troi, Geordi’s crush on a simulation, and far more.
- Steve
Hey, great post! So true. I mean, is there any other genre that’s simultaneously more reviled and more inventive than the romance sci-fi/fantasy/monster/thriller mashups?
Also, Steve, that is a really good point you make about STNG.
Awesome article. When I was in high school I loved sci fi and I loved romances. My favorite sci fi novels were the ones that had some sort of romantic tension/interest and my favorite romances weere historicals, which were almost like another world. When I came across paranormal romances it was like someone had written a book especially for me.
When I was younger I really wanted to get into D&D and other geeky activities but unfortunately I was desperately shy of boys and the geeky boys were desperately awkward around girls. So I was the owner of a sad little pack of magic cards that never got any play.
When I was young (a long time ago lol) being caught with a DragonLance book got me sad and/or disapproving looks. Romance novels were acceptable however, so when I discovered my first parnormal it was like stealth sci fi. I loved it — I could read as much as I wanted and no one looked sideways at me.
For that privledge I donated a great deal of my income to buying those books, and continue to do so. I am not surprised at all that paranormal romance is such a lucrative genre. Especially since being a geek girl is now cool (which makes me very happy). You’ve got the generation of girls who grew up geek AND the generation of girls who wanted to grow up geek.