Comments on: Commercial Women’s Fiction: What’s In, What Has Been, and What’s on the Horizon http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/ Caridad is the NY Times and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of Paranormal Romance and Romantic Suspense Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:39:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lupe M. Gonzalez http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2447 Lupe M. Gonzalez Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:56:10 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2447 Hi Marcela and everybody, Thank you for setting up this discussion. I'm a member of the San Antonio Romance Authors and of course writing romance is the key, though lately I've seen writers want to write books with romantic elements only, not have the romance be the central theme. One of the big publishers of romance is Harlequin. I know I've read alot of their books through the years. They've added new lines like 'Harlequin Next' for the woman who has lived her life up to a point, she's married, her kids are in college, so now what's next and usually something happens to turn her world upside down. One of the books I read the heroine didn't have a love interest. It was more about her relationship with her dad after her mom died. Then, they've also added a line called Everlasting, these books answer the question - what happens after the 'happily ever after'? The books can have various POV's and can have a time span of decades. The central theme is the love that a couple has through all the years of their marriage, through the ups and downs. They've just released two books. My point is that there is a market for these books, as Marcela said, and though you may not want to write for Harlequin, clearly just the fact that they introduced these two lines says that readers want these kinds of books. Lupe Hi Marcela and everybody,

Thank you for setting up this discussion. I’m a member of the San Antonio Romance Authors and of course writing romance is the key, though lately I’ve seen writers want to write books with romantic elements only, not have the romance be the central theme. One of the big publishers of romance is Harlequin. I know I’ve read alot of their books through the years. They’ve added new lines like ‘Harlequin Next’ for the woman who has lived her life up to a point, she’s married, her kids are in college, so now what’s next and usually something happens to turn her world upside down. One of the books I read the heroine didn’t have a love interest. It was more about her relationship with her dad after her mom died. Then, they’ve also added a line called Everlasting, these books answer the question – what happens after the ‘happily ever after’? The books can have various POV’s and can have a time span of decades. The central theme is the love that a couple has through all the years of their marriage, through the ups and downs. They’ve just released two books.

My point is that there is a market for these books, as Marcela said, and though you may not want to write for Harlequin, clearly just the fact that they introduced these two lines says that readers want these kinds of books.

Lupe

]]> By: Tempest Knight http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2446 Tempest Knight Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:31:06 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2446 I love the fact that romance is expanding into other areas, and we no longer have the typical young (extremely beautiful and perfect) heroine falling on her knees for the older hero. :) I love the fact that romance is expanding into other areas, and we no longer have the typical young (extremely beautiful and perfect) heroine falling on her knees for the older hero. :)

]]> By: Mary Castillo http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2445 Mary Castillo Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:46:20 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2445 Great blog Marcela! One of my oservations as a writer is that some editors have a very strong idea of what they want. I was once approached to write a young adult and she wanted something that was more Gossip Girl/Sex and the City than my idea. But the feedback from my readers encourages to fight for the integrity of my stories. They've said that my heroines - Tamara, Isa & Isela - remind them of themselves or women they know. What advice would you give to authors who want to continue to be working writers and yet, have ideas that may appear to be untried? Great blog Marcela!

One of my oservations as a writer is that some editors have a very strong idea of what they want. I was once approached to write a young adult and she wanted something that was more Gossip Girl/Sex and the City than my idea.

But the feedback from my readers encourages to fight for the integrity of my stories. They’ve said that my heroines – Tamara, Isa & Isela – remind them of themselves or women they know.

What advice would you give to authors who want to continue to be working writers and yet, have ideas that may appear to be untried?

]]> By: Sasha Tomaszycki http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2444 Sasha Tomaszycki Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:03:12 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2444 Thank you Marcela for the informative and timely info. I'm curious too about the Latina lit. More so about the chiquta lit. I have never heard this term. Are publishers currently looking for YA geared toward latinas? Thank you Marcela for the informative and timely info. I’m curious too about the Latina lit. More so about the chiquta lit. I have never heard this term. Are publishers currently looking for YA geared toward latinas?

]]> By: Berta Platas http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2443 Berta Platas Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:55:13 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2443 Hi, Marcela! Do you think Latina fiction is becoming more mainstream, and how do you think the Latina market compares with the African American market in terms of readership. I've heard from AA friends that Caucasian readers don't pick up their books that often, aside from fellow writers who know their work. Hi, Marcela! Do you think Latina fiction is becoming more mainstream, and how do you think the Latina market compares with the African American market in terms of readership. I’ve heard from AA friends that Caucasian readers don’t pick up their books that often, aside from fellow writers who know their work.

]]> By: Irene http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2442 Irene Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:55:48 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2442 Thank you, Marcela! Just what I needed to hear. Everybody is bound to get old. It happened to me when I wasn't looking. Thank you, Marcela! Just what I needed to hear.
Everybody is bound to get old. It happened to me when I wasn’t looking.

]]> By: Vicki M. Taylor http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2441 Vicki M. Taylor Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:58:27 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2441 I consider myself a Women's Fiction author and that's how I platform myself. I write about real women and their real lives. I want to continue writing about real women with real issues. I'm currently working on one that doesn't have a "romance" as the base element of the story. Is there room in the Women's Fiction genre for these kinds of books? Will there be a "trend" for them? This manuscript is definitely not a comedy. Definitely dramatic. Is that too heavy? Am I going to have a hard time finding a buyer for it? I consider myself a Women’s Fiction author and that’s how I platform myself. I write about real women and their real lives. I want to continue writing about real women with real issues. I’m currently working on one that doesn’t have a “romance” as the base element of the story. Is there room in the Women’s Fiction genre for these kinds of books? Will there be a “trend” for them? This manuscript is definitely not a comedy. Definitely dramatic. Is that too heavy? Am I going to have a hard time finding a buyer for it?

]]> By: Yolanda http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2440 Yolanda Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:35:32 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2440 This is all very exciting and encouraging news. When pitching, is it still better to call it women's fiction with a comedic twist, etc. (anything but using the phrase chick lit?) This is all very exciting and encouraging news. When pitching, is it still better to call it women’s fiction with a comedic twist, etc. (anything but using the phrase chick lit?)

]]> By: Caridad http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2439 Caridad Mon, 26 Feb 2007 17:38:35 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2439 It's nice to hear chick lit is still alive despite all the death knells some are tolling. As someone who has books that have tagged "chick lit" but feels they are actually more women's fiction -- is there really a distinction or is chick lit really women's fiction with a particular voice and/or humor? It’s nice to hear chick lit is still alive despite all the death knells some are tolling.

As someone who has books that have tagged “chick lit” but feels they are actually more women’s fiction — is there really a distinction or is chick lit really women’s fiction with a particular voice and/or humor?

]]> By: Chris Redding http://www.caridad.com/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon/comment-page-1/#comment-2438 Chris Redding Mon, 26 Feb 2007 17:24:37 +0000 http://caridad.com/blog/2007/02/26/commercial-womens-fiction-whats-in-what-has-been-and-whats-on-the-horizon-28/#comment-2438 Hello Marcela, What about married lit? And I'm not talking hubby leaves her for a younger woman. Would there be a market for a story with a woman who has raised kids and they are teens now and need her less in some ways and now she wonders what is next? Could that be the next trend? I'm not usually on the cutting edge of these things! Chris Redding Hello Marcela,
What about married lit? And I’m not talking hubby leaves her for a younger woman. Would there be a market for a story with a woman who has raised kids and they are teens now and need her less in some ways and now she wonders what is next?
Could that be the next trend?
I’m not usually on the cutting edge of these things!
Chris Redding

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