The Rise of Romance
/The Rise of Romance
Romantic fiction has always been a staple of the literary world, even since the early days of fiction being published. Romance sells like hotcakes, and that’s why we are seeing an endless amount of romance stories being published every day. In fact, a good majority of famous books fall into this genre, such as classics like Pride and Prejudice and Twilight. It is a broad category and the options for how you can write your romance are limitless, so there will always be something for everyone. Even now, people’s recommendations are flooded with romance, of these different stories that delve into the topic in their own ways. Despite so many of these stories being drastically different from one another, there is something that most have in common; their target audience and top buyers being women. Women have long since been the demographic for romance books, and they make up the majority of the sales. In a study posted by WordsRated in 2022, it is stated that women make up 82% of romance sales. Reading is an amazing hobby for everyone, so I am glad that women have this.
I frequently see people asking questions about this, about why this is the case. Why are women so fixated on the romance genre? An easy answer would be to say that these stories are specifically written to appeal to them, and that would be true. Whether it be a cute hockey romance or a horror story in disguise, these books make sure they put their women readers first. This is the most broad answer to the question, but that doesn’t explain why women feel so drawn to romance. So, why do women love romance so much? If you were to ask me for my opinion, I would say this one thing. Escapism. In a world where women feel inferior, they would prefer to indulge in media that puts them and their needs first. In romance stories, women can live out their dreams of the perfect man and a perfect life; a life where they aren’t constantly worried for their safety. Instead of putting themselves out there and being disappointed, a lot of women would just prefer to engage in their fantasies through the books they read. This is why a lot of romance stories have the main character be a woman, as it makes it easier for the female audience to project themselves into the story and onto this protagonist. It’d be harder for a woman to feel invested in a story that revolves around a man and would make it harder for them to escape into the words written on the page, especially since men are the target audience for so many other genres, such as action and sci-fi. In books targeted toward men, women are more likely to be sexualized and made into a caricature, which puts a lot of female readers off. That’s why books made for them are so important.
I notice a lot of people online nowadays complaining about women and their reading habits, about how they think these people and their hobbies are weird. Of course, there is always a limit to what’s right and wrong, and there is a possibility that some women may be unhealthily invested in books, especially ones that could encourage unhealthy lifestyles. An example of this could be the rise of dark romance and controversial topics. The topics discussed in dark romance books are very depraved, yet these books are some of the best sellers. While these topics are awful, dark romance is a way for these women to explore them safely. As long as they aren’t trying to push these ideals onto real people or thinking that this is how love works, there isn’t an issue with them enjoying these stories. While I am not a fan myself, I can’t tell other women what they can and can’t read.
There are many, many industries that make their profit off of catering towards men, and I don’t see nearly as many people complaining about that. It’s only when it’s a women dominated space that people feel strange about it. This is not a case of women engaging in something harmful, this is a case of people feeling uneasy when they’re not the target audience for something. Women love romance books because they prioritise their happiness. The books help these women feel wanted, make them feel special in ways that they can’t get from reality sometimes. This is not to say that romance books catered toward men are any less special or important, but this is an explanation for why the genre is mainly focused on their female audience. If women buy these stories, then they’ll make more of them. That’s how business works, and there is nothing wrong with a girl having her hobbies, no matter what some people may say about it.
Emily Crawford is one of the writers involved with Prose and Cons. She is a student at Algonquin College’s Professional Writing program, and has been involved with the writing industry since her youth. Even in kindergarten she has been writing; with that hobby becoming something more as she got older. Nowadays she is still in love with writing, and is even planning on starting up an online shop to start custom writing commissions. The topic of fiction and how it impacts reality is something that interests her, and she’s even done some research on it before entering this group. She hopes to share her knowledge in a meaningful way through this blog.
