I
don’t pay a huge amount of attention to the latest hot topics in the market. Even
if I wanted to write what’s currently popular, I’d never keep up.
I write too slowly. By the time I published my fashionable opus, the
trends would have changed.
On
the other hand, I’m somewhat aware of what’s the current rage,
simply because I know so many authors and host so many of them here
at my blog. For instance, I know that step-brother romances were
selling like hot cakes a few months ago. Before that it was
billionaires, of course, though I guess they’re now a bit passé.
A few days ago, a colleague informed me that the absolutely latest,
up and coming sub-genre is sports romance. Looking at the posts that
come through my Triberr stream, I think she’s right.
Oh
dear.
I
admire my fellow authors who can make sweaty, smelly, macho guys seem
sexy. Muscle pain and locker rooms, cut throat competition, a focus
on physical perfection—I’m
sorry, but that’s so not me...!
I’m
a dancer, but I’ve never had any attraction to sports, of any kind.
In general, I’m a bit of a klutz, except when the music starts. And
I have to say, I find most sports utterly boring. I know I’m not
making many friends here. Many of you love tennis, or basketball, or
soccer, or track and field, and probably you’d love to read a story
about these activities.
Sorry,
but you’ll have to find someone else to write it. (And of course,
given its burgeoning popularity, you will...)
It’s
funny. I can imagine penning a tale in almost any sub-genre. I’m
willing to write way over the edge, too. Things that some people
might find distinctly disturbing not infrequently find their way into
my work. But sports? Turns my stomach, I’m afraid.
Sorry.
By
the way, while I have your attention, let me remind you that all my
books are still half off at Smashwords, until Sunday. That means you
can get The
Gazillionaire and the Virgin
for only $2.50, and Slush
for free.
Okay,
so they’re not the latest, hottest subgenre. But darn it, they’re
good!
5 comments:
Hi Lisabet. Your post brings up a good point. If you don't enjoy writing it, then there's a good chance readers will sense that you're not into the book. Personally, I enjoy romances that involve MMA and martial arts, so over the years I've included it in my work. I'm not much for other types of sports, so I doubt I'd ever write a book involving golf or soccer or something like that. Other people who feel differently about it would do a far better job writing about it. Trends come and go, but I think you've got it right that it's better to genuinely enjoy what you're writing about.
Hi,Kate!
For some reason, I don't consider martial arts to fit into the "sports" category. Maybe because I CAN see the attraction to this activity...!
If you're good at writing sports romance, you're writing a story that appeals to readers who don't even like the sport in the book or who even know nothing about it. I adore Susan E. Phillips' football series and I really dislike football. I've enjoyed rugby romances and I know zero about rugby. You go into a sports romance because of the hero archetype--a man who is strong, confident, wealthy, probably at the top of his game and in his prime--very much like a billionaire, but with muscle that has a purpose. If the reader is a fan of the particular sport, that's just icing on the cake for them. If you have never read a sports romance, I suggest you give it a try.
I've been reading sports romance since Carly Phillips penned her first one back in the 90's. Yes sports romances have been around that long if not longer as I recall Nora's first couple of books were set in the horseracing (which is 100% a sport) so it isn't a new fad in romance.
Its perfectly okay to not like sports, sports romances etc. Its not for everyone. Take my husband for example he hates and I mean HATES football...and yet both of our sons are star football players which means he spends a lot of time at the football field because while he knows he hates it he also gets that our sons eat sleep and breath it.
So write what appeals to you knowing that while you can't/won't/don't want to there are those who do.
Hello, Kate and Heather.
Of course you are right. It's the characters that make a story memorable, not so much the genre.
And I know this isn't new. I've just heard that it's suddenly "hot".
But then what do I know?
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